Chemistry: A Molecular Approach (3rd Edition)

Published by Prentice Hall
ISBN 10: 0321809246
ISBN 13: 978-0-32180-924-7

Chapter 9 - Sections 9.1-9.11 - Exercises - Problems by Topic - Page 419: 43

Answer

This trend can be explained due to the increasing size of the metal cation.

Work Step by Step

The size of metal cations are in the order $Ba \gt Sr \gt Ca \gt Mg$. When the size of the metal cation increases, its distance from the oxygen anion also increases. This leads to a decrease in potential energy as the distance increases, and hence the lattice energy also decreases.
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