Question
The correct order of increasing thermal stability of , , and is:
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 (), making it easier for the compound to decompose into a metal oxide and carbon dioxide on heating.
Alkaline Earth Metal Carbonates: As we move down Group 2 from to , the ionic size increases (). This decreases the polarizing power of the cation, thereby increasing the thermal stability of the carbonate. Hence, the order is: .
Alkali vs. Alkaline Earth Metals: Alkali metal cations (like ) have a lower charge () and larger ionic radius compared to alkaline earth metals. Thus, their polarizing power is much lower. As a result, alkali metal carbonates (except ) are highly stable towards heat and generally do not decompose easily (they melt instead). Therefore, is the most thermally stable compound among the given choices.
The correct increasing order of thermal stability is: .
This question aligns with the NEET CHEMISTRY syllabus, specifically targeting concepts from Organic Chemistry – Some Basic Principles and Techniques . Mastering this topic is crucial for scoring well in the upcoming medical entrance examinations. Solving conceptually related problems will help you understand the nuances of these concepts and improve your problem-solving speed.
More Organic Chemistry – Some Basic Principles and Techniques Questions
Which one of the following pairs is isostructural (i.e., having the same shape and hybridization)?
Among the following, isoelectronic species are:
Which one of the following pairs of species have the same bond order?
In a regular octahedral molecule, $MX_{6}$, the number of $X–M–X$ bonds at 180º is:
Which of the following pairs of ions are isoelectronic and isostructural?
Which orbital does the additional electron occupy when $O_{2}$ is converted to the $O_{2}^{-}$ ion?
A species that does not exhibit paramagnetism is:
The total number of $\pi$-bond electrons in the following structure is:
Why 32,000+ students choose TopperSquare
15,000+ Chapter MCQs
Physics, Chemistry, Biology — chapter-wise, topic-wise practice
AI Performance Analytics
Know your weak topics. Get a personalised study plan.
Full NEET Mock Tests
180 questions, timed, with detailed score analysis
PYQ Sets 2010–2024
15 years of past papers with solved explanations
No credit card · 30-second signup · Free forever plan included
This neet chemistry practice question is part of the TopperSquare free question bank. TopperSquare offers 15,000+ chapter-wise NEET MCQs across Physics, Chemistry, and Biology with detailed step-by-step explanations, full mock tests, NEET PYQs (2010–2024), and an AI-powered performance analytics dashboard. browse all neet practice questions → · practice chemistry sets →
Sign in to save your score, view detailed analytics, and bookmark tough questions for revision.
Sign In / Join FreeChapter-wise practice sets
Identify weak areas instantly
Step-by-step logic for every question