Anions

[Clara Cho 2K]

are all metals polarizable?

[Serena Siddiq 3D]

No, because the first two rows of the periodic table are metal cations, and therefore have polarizing power. So, not all metals are good candidates for polarizability!

[rohun2H]

Anions are polarizable (exhibiting distortion) whereas cations have polarizing power (distorting anions).

[Vincent Leong 2B]

Cations will always be the type of ions that will possess polarizing power whereas anions will possess polarizability.

[pmokh14B]

no most metals are cations and will have polarizing power, not be polarizable.

[April Pazos 3D]

Polarizability depends on size and charge. No assumptions can be made since each element has a different amount of electrons. The more electrons the farther they are away which allows the nucleus to not have a strong hold on them. Thus, the more electrons the easier it is to have a dipole moment because of the loose electrons.

[Khushboo_3D]

In the textbook it states that, "When a small, highly charged cation is close to a large anion, the electron cloud of the anion is distorted in the process we call polarization." This implies that the anion is polarizable while the cation should have the polarizing power. Smaller atoms with a higher positive charge have a greater polarizing power while larger anions have greater polarizability.

[Jennifer Yang 3F]

No, not all anions are polarizable.