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aniseed
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- Generally speaking the elements in the top right side of the periodic table (the nonmetals and halogens) tend to form anions. Why is this? Is there some fundamental underlying reason?
My niece is in her first year of public high school in Japan, and her science textbook introduces the concept of elements, atomic number and charge, then shows the periodic table. It states that elements in the upper right hand side of the periodic table tend be become anions, and elements in the bottom left hand side tend to become cations, without giving any explanation about why this is.
So my niece asked me 'why' and the best I can come up with is 'because that's probably a side-effect of how the periodic table is structured'. I am not a chem major, my background is engineering. The only chem book I've read is Theodore Gray's excellent coffee table book, 'The Elements'.
I'm attaching a photo of the relevant section from her textbook in case it's of any use.
So my niece asked me 'why' and the best I can come up with is 'because that's probably a side-effect of how the periodic table is structured'. I am not a chem major, my background is engineering. The only chem book I've read is Theodore Gray's excellent coffee table book, 'The Elements'.
I'm attaching a photo of the relevant section from her textbook in case it's of any use.