Which of the following pairs is correct (for the correct reason) regarding the ionization energy of the atoms? *
A.Na < P; ionization energy increases across a period
B.Na > Al; increasing number of electron shells in Al
C.N < Bi; metals are higher than nonmetals
D.N > O; increasing electron repulsion in p sublevel
So which did you pick. I would go with a. One thing the question is not clear about......For Na, for example, that obviously is for removing the one outside shell electron but for P, which has an outside shell of 5 electrons (3s2 3p3), is that removing 1 or more 3p electrons or all 5 outside shell electrons. What I mean by that is that P has five ionization energies depending upon how many of those electrons are removed
Thank you! A is the one I pick.
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand ionization energy and the factors that affect it for atoms.
Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from a neutral atom in the gaseous state. It represents how tightly an atom's electrons are held by the nucleus. When answering this question, we need to consider the periodic trends and other factors that influence ionization energy.
A. Na < P; ionization energy increases across a period:
This statement is incorrect. The correct trend is that ionization energy generally increases across a period from left to right. Sodium (Na) has a lower ionization energy than phosphorus (P) because sodium is closer to the left side of the periodic table. As you move from left to right, the number of protons increases, resulting in a stronger attraction for electrons, leading to higher ionization energy.
B. Na > Al; increasing number of electron shells in Al:
This statement is incorrect. Ionization energy generally increases as you move from left to right across a period, not based on the number of electron shells. Sodium (Na) has a lower ionization energy than aluminum (Al), so the correct pair would be Na < Al.
C. N < Bi; metals are higher than nonmetals:
This statement is incorrect. In general, ionization energy is higher for nonmetals than for metals. The correct pair should have a nonmetal with a higher ionization energy than a metal. Nitrogen(N) is a nonmetal, and bismuth (Bi) is a metal. Therefore, the correct pair would be N > Bi.
D. N > O; increasing electron repulsion in p sublevel:
This statement is correct. Within the same period of the periodic table, electron repulsion plays a role in determining ionization energy. As you move across a period from left to right, the number of electrons in the p sublevel increases, leading to increased electron repulsion. As a result, the ionization energy generally increases. Nitrogen (N) has a higher ionization energy than oxygen (O), so the correct pair is N > O.
Therefore, the correct pair among the options provided is D. N > O; increasing electron repulsion in the p sublevel.