Polarizability
The ease with which a particle’s electron cloud can be distorted
Pertinent to charge-induced dipole forces
(ion-induced dipole and dipole-induced dipole)
Increases down a group of atoms or ions (size)
Decreases from left to right in a period (effective nuclear charge)
Cations are less polarizable than their parent atoms; anions are
more polarizable than their parent atoms.
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