Why radius of anion is greater than its parent atom? Why atomic size of chloride Anion is greater than chlorine (Cl) Atom ?
Anand Classes explains the size of a negative ion (anion) is always larger than that of its corresponding neutral atom. This is because an anion is formed when a neutral atom gains one or more electrons, increasing the total number of electrons while the nuclear charge remains the same. The added electrons increase electron–electron repulsion and reduce the effective nuclear pull on each electron. As a result, the electron cloud expands, making the anion significantly larger than the parent atom. For example, chlorine (Cl) has an atomic radius of 99 pm, whereas the chloride ion (Cl⁻) swells to 181 pm.