Help me with Chemistry 11, Basilmarket! TY

basilmarket.com forums : Chat | 5 posts archived

thread starter h0bob01 Apr 16 2009 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Hi everyone! I'm hoping you guys and gals can help me out with two questions. I've been thinking about them, but can't quite seem to find the right words. It's about electron configurations and ionization energy. Here they are: 1) Why do you think that the I.E. tends to increase within a PERIOD of the periodic table? (Hint: consider the change in the nuclear charge of the atom as electrons are added into the same energy level.) 2) Why do you think the I.E. tends to decrease within a FAMILY of the periodic table? THANK YOU!

icemage11 04/16/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

1) So alkali metals has the lowest ionization energy and the noble gas has the highest. The theoretical explanation is that ast he force of attraction between the nucleus and electrons increases, more energy is needed to remove the electron from the atom. 2) Because atomic radius increases and additional inner layers of electrons reduce the effect of the nuclear charge, there is less attractive force between the nucleus and outer-level electrons so that less energy is required to remove them from the atom. This is copied from my textbook btw.

SporkyLlama Apr 16 2009 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

By family, do you mean the group? o_O But yeah, my chemistry textbook says this exactly: First ionisation energy decreases down a group: As the atoms become larger, their outer electrons are further from the nucleus. The energy required to extract the outermost electron from an atom (the first ionisation energy) decreases. First ionisation energy increases across a period: As the strength of attraction between the outer electrons and the nucleus increases, the energy required to remove the outermost electron from an atom increases. Does that help? Edit: Lol icemage11, copying from textbooks ftw. xD

LogicCannon 04/16/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

I dig smart chicks. Does that help?

h0bob01 04/16/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

THANKS! Jeeez, they are smart chicks. ;D