Predicting polarizability and polarizing power

[Corryn Doll]

How would I go about predicting the polarizability of Anions and the polarizing power of Cations? Is there a periodic trend which can be used to predict such things, or another way?

[Aryana Nazem 1A]

Polarizability increases w atomic radius aka down a group bc their electron clouds can easily be distorted where as small highly charged cations have high polarizing power (decreases across a period)

[Jordan Y4D]

Polarizability goes inverse along with the electron affinity of elements. If an atom can be easily polarized, it can easily lose an electron, meaning it has a low electron affinity.

[davidbakalov_lec2_2L]

Did he say that polarizability will be covered on the midterm?

[angelagd3l]

if it can easily lose an electron then there is a lower electron affinity

[Chem_Mod]

Polarizability essentially has to do with how much charge is there and how much space does the atom have to spread the charge out. For example, a large anion like Iodide is large and can spread the charge over its volume and become polarized. Polarizing ability increase with decreasing radius and increasing charge. So, a highly charged, small cation will have a highly localized charge which will affect negatively charged species strongly.