Polarizability and Polarizing Power
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Polarizability and Polarizing Power
Hi! Does anyone have a good way to remember what makes an atom/ion more polarizable and which atoms/ions have more polarizing power? I'm having a little trouble with those concepts.
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Re: Polarizability and Polarizing Power
Mary Gallo 1L wrote:Hi! Does anyone have a good way to remember what makes an atom/ion more polarizable and which atoms/ions have more polarizing power? I'm having a little trouble with those concepts.
The larger and more electrons the atom has, the more polarizable it is.
The smaller and higher charged cations/anions (2+ > 1+ or 2- > 1-) have greater polarizing power. For atoms, the smaller and further along a period it is, the more polarizing power it has (higher electronegativity). Fluorine has the highest electronegativity.
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Re: Polarizability and Polarizing Power
Mary Gallo 1L wrote:Hi! Does anyone have a good way to remember what makes an atom/ion more polarizable and which atoms/ions have more polarizing power? I'm having a little trouble with those concepts.
For atoms that are more polarizable, the bigger the atom is = the more polarizable. I like to remember this by thinking of an analogy where I'm trying to pop balloons with a dart. The bigger the balloon, the more likely I'll be when I throw a dart to pop it (influence its e- cloud).
For polarizing power, the smaller the atom = the more polarizing power. It will be a lot harder for me to throw a really massive dart at a balloon, so I can't "polarize/pop the balloon as easily. The smaller the dart, the easier it is to throw the dart and pop the balloon.
Hope this helps.
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Re: Polarizability and Polarizing Power
Wow, I really like the balloon and dart analogy! Thank you both for the explanations, they really help!
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Re: Polarizability and Polarizing Power
Sid Panda 2A wrote:Mary Gallo 1L wrote:Hi! Does anyone have a good way to remember what makes an atom/ion more polarizable and which atoms/ions have more polarizing power? I'm having a little trouble with those concepts.
For atoms that are more polarizable, the bigger the atom is = the more polarizable. I like to remember this by thinking of an analogy where I'm trying to pop balloons with a dart. The bigger the balloon, the more likely I'll be when I throw a dart to pop it (influence its e- cloud).
For polarizing power, the smaller the atom = the more polarizing power. It will be a lot harder for me to throw a really massive dart at a balloon, so I can't "polarize/pop the balloon as easily. The smaller the dart, the easier it is to throw the dart and pop the balloon.
Hope this helps.
thank you for the analogy, is e-cloud determinable simply based on a substances placement on the periodic table?
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Re: Polarizability and Polarizing Power
MichaelMendozaD1F wrote:Sid Panda 2A wrote:Mary Gallo 1L wrote:Hi! Does anyone have a good way to remember what makes an atom/ion more polarizable and which atoms/ions have more polarizing power? I'm having a little trouble with those concepts.
For atoms that are more polarizable, the bigger the atom is = the more polarizable. I like to remember this by thinking of an analogy where I'm trying to pop balloons with a dart. The bigger the balloon, the more likely I'll be when I throw a dart to pop it (influence its e- cloud).
For polarizing power, the smaller the atom = the more polarizing power. It will be a lot harder for me to throw a really massive dart at a balloon, so I can't "polarize/pop the balloon as easily. The smaller the dart, the easier it is to throw the dart and pop the balloon.
Hope this helps.
thank you for the analogy, is e-cloud determinable simply based on a substances placement on the periodic table?
e- cloud would vary depending on the atomic radius.
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Re: Polarizability and Polarizing Power
Sid Panda 2A wrote:MichaelMendozaD1F wrote:Sid Panda 2A wrote:
For atoms that are more polarizable, the bigger the atom is = the more polarizable. I like to remember this by thinking of an analogy where I'm trying to pop balloons with a dart. The bigger the balloon, the more likely I'll be when I throw a dart to pop it (influence its e- cloud).
For polarizing power, the smaller the atom = the more polarizing power. It will be a lot harder for me to throw a really massive dart at a balloon, so I can't "polarize/pop the balloon as easily. The smaller the dart, the easier it is to throw the dart and pop the balloon.
Hope this helps.
thank you for the analogy, is e-cloud determinable simply based on a substances placement on the periodic table?
e- cloud would vary depending on the atomic radius.
gotcha, thank you for your response!
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