In the ionic compounds LiF, NaCl, KBr, and RbI, the measured cation–anion distances are 2.01 Å (Li–F), 2.82 Å (Na–Cl), 3.30 Å (K–Br), and 3.67 Å (Rb–I), respectively. c. What estimates of the cation–anion distance would you obtain for these four compounds using neutral atom bonding atomic radii? Are these estimates as accurate as the estimates using ionic radii?

Ionic compounds are formed through the electrostatic attraction between positively charged cations and negatively charged anions. The strength of this attraction influences the properties of the compound, including its melting point, solubility, and the distances between ions in the crystal lattice. Understanding the nature of ionic bonding is essential for analyzing cation-anion distances.

Bonding atomic radii refer to the effective size of an atom when it forms a bond with another atom. These radii are typically derived from the distances between nuclei in bonded atoms and can vary depending on the type of bond (ionic or covalent). Using bonding atomic radii to estimate cation-anion distances provides a different perspective compared to using ionic radii, which are based on the size of isolated ions.

Ionic radii are measurements that represent the size of an ion in a crystal lattice. They vary based on the ion's charge and coordination number, with cations generally being smaller than their neutral atoms and anions being larger. When estimating cation-anion distances, ionic radii provide a more accurate representation of the actual distances in ionic compounds compared to neutral atomic radii, which do not account for the charge interactions.