for an ionization energy vs. atomic number graph it is a relatively jagged graph as you go across a period. Why does this occur?
3 answers
Mostly because the added electrons are going into different sub-levels; i.e., s, p, d, f, etc.
oh okay thanks.
This stuff kind of confuses me. The ionization energy and stuff, i don't really get how it all works
This stuff kind of confuses me. The ionization energy and stuff, i don't really get how it all works
For example, let's take Na, Mg, Al.
Na = 11 electrons; 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 so the outside electron "sees" 1 + charge (the 11 protons in the nucleus are shielded by the 10 1s2 2s2 2p6 electrons). So the ionization energy is essentially 1e versus 1+.
Mg is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2.
We have 12 + charges in the nucleus, the outside electron is pulled by a +2 charge (nucleus is +12-10 electron shielding = 2+ charge) so it is harder to pull the first electron away from Ng than from Na.
Al is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1.
Note here that the added electron is now in the 3p (Na and Mg didn't have that) so we have 13+ in the nucleus and the outside 3p1 electron is shielded by 12 electrons so we shouldn't expect to have as much energy to pull the 3p1 electron away from Al as it took for the Mg (and it doesn't). The energy for Na is about 5.1, for Mg about 7.4 and for Al about 6. That's the jagged edge the question refers to.
Na = 11 electrons; 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 so the outside electron "sees" 1 + charge (the 11 protons in the nucleus are shielded by the 10 1s2 2s2 2p6 electrons). So the ionization energy is essentially 1e versus 1+.
Mg is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2.
We have 12 + charges in the nucleus, the outside electron is pulled by a +2 charge (nucleus is +12-10 electron shielding = 2+ charge) so it is harder to pull the first electron away from Ng than from Na.
Al is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1.
Note here that the added electron is now in the 3p (Na and Mg didn't have that) so we have 13+ in the nucleus and the outside 3p1 electron is shielded by 12 electrons so we shouldn't expect to have as much energy to pull the 3p1 electron away from Al as it took for the Mg (and it doesn't). The energy for Na is about 5.1, for Mg about 7.4 and for Al about 6. That's the jagged edge the question refers to.
1 answer