Question

Identify the element of Period 2 which has the following successive ionization energies, in kJ/mol. IE1, 1314 IE2, 3389 IE3, 5298 IE4, 7471 IE5, 10992 IE6, 13329 IE7, 71345 IE8, 84087

Answer 1

It’s fluorine it has a big jump from the 6th to 7th ionisation energy.

It’s electronic configuration is 1s2 2s2 2p5 as it has 9 electrons and 7 electrons in outermost shell.

Therefore it’s in group 7, as after the 7 electrons are removed, the 8th electron is removed from a quantum shell closer to the nucleus.

This results in greater ionisation energy due to stronger electrostatic forces of attraction between positively charge nuclei and electrons ( + shorter distance)