1.

Lithium forms monoxide with oxygen whereas sodium forms peroxide with oxygen. Why?

Answer»
  • The fact that a small cation can stabilize a small anion and a large cation can stabilize a large anion explains the formation and stability of the oxides.
  • The size of Li+ ion is very small and it has a strong positive field around it. It can combine with only small anion, O2- ion, resulting in the formation of monoxide Li2O.
  • The Na ion is a larger cation and has a weak positive field around it and can stabilize a bigger peroxide ion, \(O_2^{2-}\) or [-O-O-]2 resulting in the formation of peroxide Na2O2 .


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