When a neutral atom converted into a cation, its

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

BPSC AE Paper 3 (General Studies) 14 Oct 2022 Official Paper

Answer 1

The correct answer is size decreases

Key Points

When a neutral atom is converted into a cation, its size decreases.
This is because the loss of one or more electrons results in a decrease in electron-electron repulsion within the atom.
The remaining electrons are drawn closer to the nucleus due to the unbalanced positive charge.
Hence, the atomic radius or size of the cation is smaller compared to the neutral atom.

Additional Information

Ionization is the process in which an atom or molecule gains or loses electrons to form ions.
Cations are positively charged ions formed by the loss of electrons.
The size of an atom or ion is influenced by the number of electron shells and the effective nuclear charge.
In general, cations are smaller than their parent atoms, while anions (negatively charged ions) are larger.