Which arrangement below orders the cations from smallest to largest hydration energy? Smallest to largest means least negative hydration energy to most negative hydration energy. A)Fe³⁺

Question

Which arrangement below orders the cations from smallest to largest hydration energy? Smallest to largest means least negative hydration energy to most negative hydration energy. A)Fe³⁺ < Mg²⁺ < Rb⁺ < Na⁺ B)Na⁺ < Rb⁺ < Mg²⁺< Fe³⁺ C)Fe³⁺< Mg²⁺< Na⁺ < Rb⁺ D)Rb⁺ < Na⁺ < Mg²⁺ < Fe³⁺ E)Na⁺ < Rb⁺ < Fe³⁺ < Mg²⁺

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hydration energy increases with decreasing ionic size and increasing charge density. Among the given cations, Rb^+ is the largest with the lowest charge density, followed by Na^+, Mg^2+, and Fe^3+ being the smallest with the highest charge density. Therefore, the correct order from smallest to largest hydration energy is Rb^+ < Na^+ < Mg^2+ < Fe^3+.

Which Arrangement Below Orders the Cations from Smallest to Largest