Explanation of Fajan’s Rule
Fajan’s Rule depends on the polarising power of cations and the polarizability of the anion. More minor, highly charged cations distort relatively larger anions’ electron clouds. This results in the formation of ionic Compounds with covalent properties. This distortion occurs as the positive charge cation pulls the electron cloud of anion closer to itself, giving rise to a covalent character within an ionic bond.
Examples Of Fajan’s Rule
Let’s consider a few examples of the Fajan Rule to understand the topic better.
Example 1: AlCl3
In this Compound, (Al3+) acts as the small highly charged cation, while chloride (Cl–) serves as a relatively large anion. Due to the small size and more charge on Al3+, it possesses strong polarising power. This power causes the distortion of the electron cloud of chloride, leading to significant covalent character in the Al-Cl bond.
Example 2: (Na+), (Mg2+), (Al3+) Which one of them have the most covalent character?
According to the Fajan rule, cations with more charge will tend to exhibit more covalent character so that the sequence will go as (Al3+) > (Mg2+) > (Na+). So, (Al3+) will show the most covalent character.
Fajan’s Rule
Fajan’s Rule in Chemistry is a rule of Chemical Bonding Named after the Polish chemist Kazimierz Fajan. Fajan’s Rule provides insights into the dynamics of ionic bonding and helps explain why certain ionic compounds exhibit covalent characteristics.
In this article, we will start with an explanation of Fajan’s Rule in chemistry. We’ll then explore its foundational principles, learn the significance of polarizability and polarizing power, and discuss its applications, limitations, and then solve some sample questions. This article helps you understand the world of Fajan’s Rule, making it a valuable resource for your class 11 studies.
Table of Content
- What is Fajan’s Rule?
- What is an Ionic Bond?
- Explanation of Fajan’s Rule
- Application Of Fajan’s Rule