Question

Sodium and magnesium ions have 10 electrons surrounding their nuclei which ion would you expect to have the larger radius why

Answer 1

Sodium because according to the atomic size trend of the periodic table. Elements further to the left are bigger while elements tot he right are smaller. This is also do to their charges, Na has a +1 charge meaning it doesn’t pull the electrons as close as the Mg does with its +2 charge.