Cation and Anion reactivity

Question 1

Cation Reactivity Up and Down

Answer 1

Reactivity increases down a group.
Outermost electrons are farther from the nucleus which makes it easier for these outer electrons to be lost, increasing the reactivity of metals as you go down the group.

Question 2

Cation Reactivity Left and Right

Answer 2

As you move from left to right across a period, the nuclear charge increases (more protons in the nucleus).
The atomic radius decreases because electrons are added to the same shell, and the increased nuclear charge pulls them closer.
Higher ionization energy makes it harder to lose electrons, decreasing the reactivity of metals.

Question 3

Anion Reactivity Up and Down

Answer 3

As you move down, the number of shells increases which reduces the nucleus’s ability to attract additional electrons. Thus this makes it less reactive

Question 4

Anion Reactivity Left and Right

Answer 4

The increasing nuclear charge across a period makes the nucleus more effective at attracting electrons.

Nonmetals on the right side of the periodic table have higher electron affinities, making them more likely to gain electrons.

As a result, the reactivity of nonmetals increases across a period from left to right.