Periodic Trends – Ions and Ionic Radius Name _________________________________ Pd____
How does the radius of an atom change when it becomes an ion?
Model 1
Figure 1: Below are four Bohr diagrams of atoms and ions. The two diagrams on the left are atoms; the two
on the right are ions.
Key Questions
1. For each diagram count up the number of electrons and label them on the diagram.
2. What element is Atom A? What element is Atom B?
Atom A:______________________ Atom B:________________
3. Explain how you know from the diagrams that both Atom A and Atom B are neutral (have a charge of
zero).
4. Given the above diagrams, how does an atom become an ion?
5. What is the charge of Ion A? What is the charge of Ion B? To calculate the charge of the ion add up the
charge of electrons and charge of protons.
Charge on Ion A:______________ Charge on Ion B:______________
6. Write the electron configuration for each ion and atom shown in the Bohr diagrams.
Atom A: ___________________________ Ion A: _______________________________
Atom B: ___________________________ Ion B: _______________________________
7. Bromine atoms always gain one electron when they become an ion. The electron configuration of the
bromide ion is _______________________.
8. Cesium atoms always lose one electron to become an ion. The electron configuration of the cesium ion is
______________________.
Model 2
As you know, all of the noble gases are very stable. Atoms gain or lose electrons to form ions in such a way so
that the ion will have the same electron configuration as a noble gas. Take oxygen, for example. Oxygen has 8
electrons (2-6). To become like a noble gas it could either gain two to become like neon or it could lose six to
become like helium. As a general rule, atoms will gain or lose the fewest number of electrons possible.
Metals tend to lose electrons forming positive ions; where as, nonmetals tend to gain electrons forming
negative ions. The charge of the ions are usually the first charge listed on the periodic table.
Page | 1 POGIL: Periodic Trends – Ions and Ionic Radius
A cation is a positively charged ion. It is an atom that has lost electrons, so it has more positive protons than
negative electrons. An anion is a negatively charged ion. It is an atom that has gained electrons, so it has
more negative electrons than positive protons. (Memory hint: A “cat”ion is “paws”itively charged. An “an”ion
is “a n”egative ion.) Group 1 atoms tend to lose 1 electron to form ions with a charge of +1, Group 2 atoms
tend to lose 2 electrons to form ions with a charge of +2, Group 13 atoms tend to lose 3 electrons to forms ions
with a charge of +3, Group 15 atoms tend to gain 3 electrons to form ions of -3, Group 16 atoms tend to gain 2
electrons to form ions with a charge of -2, and Group 17 atoms tend to gain electrons to form ions with a
charge of -1.
Key Questions
9. What does an oxygen atom do when it becomes an ion? (Does it gain or lose electrons and how many?)
10. An oxygen atom has an overall neutral charge because it has an equal number of protons and electrons.
What is the overall charge on an oxygen ion?
11. Is an oxygen ion a cation or an anion?
12. Consider an aluminum atom. Will it gain or lose electrons to have an electron configuration like a noble
gas?
13. What would be the charge of the aluminum ion?
14. Which noble gas has the same electron configuration as the aluminum ion?
15. If the following atoms become ions, what will their charges be? Will they be cations or anions?
a) Ca b) Cl c) N d) K e) S f) B g) P
Model 3
When an atom becomes an ion, its radius changes because the number of electrons in its energy levels has
changed. The diagrams below show the relative sizes of atoms of two elements and the ions they form.
Atom A Ion A Atom B Ion B
Key Questions
16. Circle the correct answer. Ion A is a(n) (cation or anion). It has a radius (smaller or bigger) than its original
atom (Atom A).
17. Circle the correct answer. Ion B is a(n) (cation or anion). It has a radius (smaller or bigger) than its original
atom (Atom B).
18. Circle the correct answer: Ions of metals are (bigger or smaller) than atoms of metals.
19. Circle the correct answer: Ions of nonmetals are (bigger or smaller) than atoms of nonmetals.
Page | 2 POGIL: Period Trends – Ions and Ionic Radius
