Based on their positions in the periodic table, predict...

Based on their positions in the periodic table, predict which atom of the following pairs will have the smaller first ionization energy$:(\mathbf{a}) \mathrm{Cl}, \mathrm{Ar} ;(\mathbf{b}) \mathrm{Be}, \mathrm{Ca} ;(\mathbf{c}) \mathrm{K}, \mathrm{Co} ;(\mathbf{d}) \mathrm{S}, \mathrm{Ge} ;(\mathbf{e}) \mathrm{Sn}, \mathrm{Te}.$

Key Concepts

Effective Nuclear Charge

Effective nuclear charge is the net positive charge experienced by an electron in an atom. It is a critical factor that influences ionization energy, as electrons held more tightly by a stronger effective nuclear charge require more energy to be removed.

Atomic Radius

Atomic radius is the distance from the center of an atom to the outermost electrons. A smaller atomic radius usually correlates with higher ionization energies because the electrons are closer to the nucleus and more strongly attracted to it, whereas a larger atomic radius typically results in lower ionization energies.

Ionization Energy

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an isolated atom in its gaseous state. It reflects how strongly an atom holds onto its electrons. Understanding this concept is essential, as variations in ionization energy between elements arise from differences in atomic structure, electron shielding, and effective nuclear charge.

Periodic Trends

Periodic trends refer to the predictable changes in elemental properties as one moves across periods or down groups in the periodic table. Specifically, ionization energy generally increases across a period due to increasing effective nuclear charge and decreases down a group because of added electron shells which increase atomic radius and shielding effects.

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