Which of the following statements is correct?

Options

A. `X^(-)` ion is larger in size than x atom
B. `X^(+)` ion is larger in size than X atom
C. `X^(+)` ion larger in size than `X^(-)` ion
D. `X^(+)` and `X^(-)` ions are equal in size.

Answer

To determine which of the statements regarding the sizes of the ions and neutral atom (x, x+, and x-) is correct, we need to analyze the relationship between the charge of the atom and its size.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Concept of Ions and Atomic Size**:
- Atoms can exist in different ionic forms: anions (negatively charged) and cations (positively charged).
- The size of an atom or ion is influenced by the number of electrons and the effective nuclear charge acting on those electrons.

2. **Compare Sizes of Ions and Neutral Atoms**:
- For a neutral atom (x), it has an equal number of protons and electrons.
- When an atom gains an electron to become an anion (x-), the size increases because the additional electron increases electron-electron repulsion and decreases the effective nuclear charge felt by each electron.
- Conversely, when an atom loses an electron to become a cation (x+), the size decreases because there are fewer electrons to repel each other, and the remaining electrons are pulled closer to the nucleus due to the increased effective nuclear charge.

3. **Establish the Size Order**:
- The general order of size based on charge is:
- x- (anion) > x (neutral atom) > x+ (cation)
- This means that the anion is the largest, followed by the neutral atom, and the cation is the smallest.

4. **Evaluate the Given Statements**:
- Statement 1: "x- is larger in size than x" - This statement is correct based on our size order.
- Statement 2: "x+ is larger in size than x" - This statement is incorrect; x+ is smaller than x.
- Statement 3: "x+ is larger than x-" - This statement is incorrect; x- is larger than x+.
- Statement 4: "x+ and x are equal in size" - This statement is incorrect; x+ is smaller than x.

5. **Conclusion**:
- The only correct statement is that "x- is larger in size than x."

### Final Answer:
The correct statement is: **x- is larger in size than x**.

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