compare the values ​​of the ion radii fe+2 and fe+3 write their electron structures

Iron (Fe) can have multiple oxidation states, with +2 (Fe²⁺) and +3 (Fe³⁺) being two common ones. Let's compare the ionic radii and electron configurations of these two ions. ### Electron Configurations 1. **Neutral Iron (Fe)** - Atomic number: 26 - Electron Configuration: \([Ar] 4s^2 3d^6\) 2. **Fe²⁺ (Iron II)** - To form \(\text{Fe}^{2+}\), two electrons are removed from the 4s and 3d orbitals. - Electron Configuration: \([Ar] 3d^6\) 3. **Fe³⁺ (Iron III)** - To form \(\text{Fe}^{3+}\), an additional electron is removed, typically from the 3d orbital. - Electron Configuration: \([Ar] 3d^5\) ### Ionic Radii The ionic radii for Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ are as follows: - **Fe²⁺ Ionic Radius**: Approximately \(0.78 \, \text{Å}\) (angstroms) - **Fe³⁺ Ionic Radius**: Approximately \(0.64 \, \text{Å}\) ### Comparison 1. **Ionic Radius**: The Fe³⁺ ion is smaller than the Fe²⁺ ion. This decrease in size is due to the higher positive charge in Fe³⁺, which results in a stronger attraction between the nucleus and the remaining electrons, pulling them closer to the nucleus. 2. **Electron Configuration**: The electron configuration shows that Fe²⁺ has six 3d electrons while Fe³⁺ has five. The removal of an additional electron when going from Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺ contributes to the reduction in ionic size. ### Summary - **Fe²⁺**: - Electron Configuration: \([Ar] 3d^6\) - Ionic Radius: \(0.78 \, \text{Å}\) - **Fe³⁺**: - Electron Configuration: \([Ar] 3d^5\) - Ionic Radius: \(0.64 \, \text{Å}\) The trend shows that with increasing positive charge, the ionic radius decreases.