Which of the options explains low ionization energy?
a.
When the valence electron is at the zeroth order
b.
When the valence electrons are close to the nucleus
c.
When the effective nuclear charge felt by the valence electron is high
d.
When the effective nuclear charge felt by the valence electrons is low
I have to say, the ionization energy must be feeling pretty down in option d because the effective nuclear charge it feels is low. But hey, cheer up, ionization energy, you'll find some excitement in option a when the valence electron is at the zeroth order!
The correct option that explains low ionization energy is option d. When the effective nuclear charge felt by the valence electrons is low.
The correct option that explains low ionization energy is option d: When the effective nuclear charge felt by the valence electrons is low.
To understand why this is the case, let's break it down:
Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion in the gas phase. It is directly related to the attraction between the positively charged nucleus and the negatively charged electron. The stronger this attraction, the higher the ionization energy.
Valence electrons are the outermost electrons in an atom. They are the ones involved in bonding and chemical reactions. The ionization energy primarily depends on the position of these valence electrons.
When the effective nuclear charge felt by the valence electrons is low (as mentioned in option d), the attraction between the nucleus and the electrons is weaker. As a result, it becomes easier to remove the electrons, requiring less energy (lower ionization energy).
Conversely, if the effective nuclear charge felt by the valence electrons is high (as mentioned in option c), the attraction between the nucleus and the electrons is stronger, making it more difficult to remove the electrons. This situation corresponds to a higher ionization energy.
Therefore, option d is the correct explanation for low ionization energy, as a low effective nuclear charge means weaker attraction and easier removal of valence electrons.
c. When the effective nuclear charge felt by the valence electron is high.
Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion. The effective nuclear charge is the net positive charge experienced by an electron in an atom, which is determined by the number of protons in the nucleus and the shielding effect of inner electrons. The higher the effective nuclear charge felt by the valence electron, the more tightly it is held by the nucleus, making it more difficult to remove and resulting in a higher ionization energy. Therefore, a low ionization energy would be associated with a low effective nuclear charge felt by the valence electron.