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NEET CHEMISTRYMedium

The correct order of increasing thermal stability of K2CO3\text{K}_2\text{CO}_3, MgCO3\text{MgCO}_3, CaCO3\text{CaCO}_3 and BeCO3\text{BeCO}_3 is:

A

BeCO3<MgCO3<K2CO3<CaCO3\text{BeCO}_3 < \text{MgCO}_3 < \text{K}_2\text{CO}_3 < \text{CaCO}_3

B

BeCO3<MgCO3<CaCO3<K2CO3\text{BeCO}_3 < \text{MgCO}_3 < \text{CaCO}_3 < \text{K}_2\text{CO}_3

C

MgCO3<BeCO3<CaCO3<K2CO3\text{MgCO}_3 < \text{BeCO}_3 < \text{CaCO}_3 < \text{K}_2\text{CO}_3

D

K2CO3<MgCO3<CaCO3<BeCO3\text{K}_2\text{CO}_3 < \text{MgCO}_3 < \text{CaCO}_3 < \text{BeCO}_3

Step-by-Step Solution

The thermal stability of metal carbonates depends on the polarizing power of the metal cation. A cation with high polarizing power distorts the large carbonate electron cloud (CO32\text{CO}_3^{2-}), making it easier for the compound to decompose into a metal oxide and carbon dioxide on heating.

  1. Alkaline Earth Metal Carbonates: As we move down Group 2 from Be\text{Be} to Ca\text{Ca}, the ionic size increases (Be2+<Mg2+<Ca2+\text{Be}^{2+} < \text{Mg}^{2+} < \text{Ca}^{2+}). This decreases the polarizing power of the cation, thereby increasing the thermal stability of the carbonate. Hence, the order is: BeCO3<MgCO3<CaCO3\text{BeCO}_3 < \text{MgCO}_3 < \text{CaCO}_3.

  2. Alkali vs. Alkaline Earth Metals: Alkali metal cations (like K+\text{K}^+) have a lower charge (+1+1) and larger ionic radius compared to alkaline earth metals. Thus, their polarizing power is much lower. As a result, alkali metal carbonates (except Li2CO3\text{Li}_2\text{CO}_3) are highly stable towards heat and generally do not decompose easily (they melt instead). Therefore, K2CO3\text{K}_2\text{CO}_3 is the most thermally stable compound among the given choices.

The correct increasing order of thermal stability is: BeCO3<MgCO3<CaCO3<K2CO3\text{BeCO}_3 < \text{MgCO}_3 < \text{CaCO}_3 < \text{K}_2\text{CO}_3.

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