Large jumps in ionization energy tend to occur whenever the removal of that electron disrupts an electron
configuration ending in:
a. ns^2
b. ns^1
c. np^6
d. np^4
To determine which electron configuration ending results in a large jump in ionization energy when an electron is removed, we need to understand the concept of electron configuration and ionization energy.
Electron configuration describes how electrons are distributed in different energy levels, sublevels, and orbitals within an atom. It is represented using numbers and letters to indicate the energy level (n), sublevel (s, p, d, f), and the number of electrons in each sublevel.
Ionization energy is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion in the gas phase. It measures how strongly an electron is held by the nucleus. The ionization energy tends to increase as we move across a period in the periodic table and decrease as we move down a group.
Now, let's analyze the given options:
a. ns^2: In this configuration, there are two electrons in the outermost (valence) s sublevel. Removing one electron will leave a stable ns^1 configuration. The removal of an electron from ns^2 configuration does not result in a large jump in ionization energy. This option is unlikely to be the correct answer.
b. ns^1: In this configuration, there is only one electron in the valence s sublevel. Removing this electron will result in a completely empty s sublevel (ns^0), which is a stable electron configuration. Again, the removal of an electron from ns^1 configuration does not result in a large jump in ionization energy. This option is also unlikely to be the correct answer.
c. np^6: In this configuration, there are six electrons in the outermost (valence) p sublevel. Removing one electron will leave a stable np^5 configuration. Since p sublevels can hold a maximum of six electrons, the removal of an electron from np^6 configuration disrupts the stable half-filled or fully filled p sublevel. This disruption leads to a significant increase in ionization energy. Therefore, option c (np^6) is a likely answer.
d. np^4: In this configuration, there are four electrons in the valence p sublevel. Removing one electron will result in an np^3 configuration. However, this does not disturb any stable electron arrangement as it is not a fully filled or half-filled sublevel. Therefore, the removal of an electron from np^4 configuration does not lead to a large jump in ionization energy. This option is unlikely to be the correct answer.
In conclusion, option c (np^6) is the most likely answer, as the removal of an electron from an np^6 configuration disrupts a stable electron configuration ending.