state fist ionization energy of calcium high than pottatium
The first ionization energy of an element is defined as the energy required to remove the outermost electron of an atom in the gaseous state. In order to compare the first ionization energies of calcium (Ca) and potassium (K), we need to consider their respective electron configurations.
Calcium has an atomic number of 20, which means it has 20 electrons. Its electron configuration can be represented as 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s². The outermost electron of calcium is in the 4s orbital.
Potassium, on the other hand, has an atomic number of 19 and an electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s¹. The outermost electron of potassium is also in the 4s orbital.
Now, when we look at the periodic table, we can determine that potassium is found in Group 1, while calcium is found in Group 2. This means that potassium has one extra electron in its outermost energy level compared to calcium.
The first ionization energy generally increases from left to right across a period and decreases from top to bottom within a group of elements. Therefore, calcium has a higher first ionization energy than potassium because it is easier to remove an electron from an atom with a smaller atomic radius compared to an atom with a larger atomic radius.
In summary, the difference in electron configuration and atomic size between calcium and potassium results in calcium having a higher first ionization energy.