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Chapter 4: Problem 28

Why don't chemists define atomic radius as the radius of the electron cloud that surrounds a nucleus?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Chemists don't define atomic radius as the radius of the electron cloud because the edge of the electron cloud is not well-defined due to the uncertain nature of electrons' locations, and thus it's impossible to measure it precisely.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Atomic Structure

Atoms consist of a central nucleus, which is surrounded by a region of space known as the electron cloud. This electron cloud is where the electrons, small negatively charged particles, reside. The nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons.
02

Defining Atomic Radius

Atomic radius is typically defined as the distance between the nucleus of an atom and its outermost shell of electrons when bonded to another atom. In a neutral atom, the atomic radius is half the distance between the centres of two atoms just touching each other.
03

Understanding The Electron Cloud

The electron cloud surrounding the nucleus does not have a fixed outer boundary that we can simply measure. This is because electrons do not travel in fixed orbits, but in regions of space where they are most likely to be found (probability density). The shape of this region depends upon the energy of electron, its angular momentum and magnetic spin quantum number.
04

Reasoning Discrepancies

With the nebulous, inherently uncertain nature of the electron cloud, defining the atomic radius as the radius of the electron cloud would be inaccurate. Since the edge of the electron cloud is not well-defined, it's impossible to measure it precisely. Thus, chemists do not define atomic radius as the radius of the electron cloud that surrounds a nucleus.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Which of the following ions has the electron configuration of a noble gas: \(\mathrm{Ca}^{+}\) or \(\mathrm{Cl}^{-} ?\) (Hint: Write the electron configuration for each ion.)

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