Given below are two statements:
Statement I: K > Mg > Al > B is the correct order in terms of metallic character.
Statement II: Atomic radius is always greater than the ionic radius for any element.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below

We need to evaluate two statements about periodicity.

Statement I: K > Mg > Al > B is the correct order in terms of metallic character.

Metallic character increases as we go down a group and decreases across a period (left to right). Let us analyze:

- K (Potassium): Group 1, Period 4 - very high metallic character

- Mg (Magnesium): Group 2, Period 3

- Al (Aluminium): Group 13, Period 3

- B (Boron): Group 13, Period 2 - lowest metallic character (B is actually a metalloid)

The order K > Mg > Al > B is correct: K is the most metallic (alkali metal), followed by Mg (alkaline earth), then Al (post-transition metal), and B (metalloid, least metallic).

Statement I is TRUE.

Statement II: Atomic radius is always greater than the ionic radius for any element.

This is FALSE. While it is true that cations (formed by losing electrons) have smaller radii than their parent atoms, anions (formed by gaining electrons) have LARGER radii than their parent atoms. For example:

- Cl atom radius $$\approx 99$$ pm, but Cl$$^-$$ ionic radius $$\approx 181$$ pm (anion is larger)

- O atom radius $$\approx 73$$ pm, but O$$^{2-}$$ ionic radius $$\approx 140$$ pm (anion is larger)

So the statement that atomic radius is ALWAYS greater than ionic radius is incorrect for anions.

The correct answer is Option 1: Statement I is true but Statement II is false.