Question

Which explains the change in ionization energy that occurs between removing the first and second electrons from an atom?
The ionization energy decreases because the ratio of the protons to electrons increases.
The ionization energy increases because the ratio of the protons to electrons increases.
The ionization energy decreases because the ratio of the protons to electrons decreases.
The ionization energy increases because the ratio of the protons to electrons decreases.

Answer 1

The ionization energy increases because the ratio of the protons to electrons increases.

Explanation: removing the first electron lowers electron shielding and increases the effective nuclear charge on the remaining electrons (higher protons:electrons ratio), so the next electron is held more tightly and requires more energy to remove.