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Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table

Ionisation energy and the evidence for sub-shells

  • 3 things to know
  • Papers 1 and 3

Overview

Recall questions on the definition of first ionisation energy, the trends across a period and down a group, and how successive ionisation energies reveal shells and sub-shells.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Process

How does electron shielding affect ionisation energy?

Key term

What are successive ionisation energies?

Key term

Explain why ionisation energy increases with greater nuclear charge.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Define first ionisation energy.

    Model answer

    The energy required to remove one electron from each atom in one mole of gaseous atoms to form one mole of gaseous unipositive ions

  2. 2

    What are successive ionisation energies?

    Model answer

    The energies required to remove each subsequent electron from an increasingly positive ion

  3. 3

    Explain why ionisation energy increases with greater nuclear charge.

    Model answer

    More protons in the nucleus create a stronger attraction for the electrons, making them harder to remove

  4. 4

    How does electron shielding affect ionisation energy?

    Model answer

    Greater electron shielding from inner shells reduces the effective nuclear charge felt by outer electrons, decreasing ionisation energy

  5. 5

    Why are electrons in higher energy sub-shells easier to remove?

    Model answer

    Electrons in higher energy sub-shells are further from the nucleus and experience less nuclear attraction, so less energy is needed to remove them

  6. 6

    Explain why first ionisation energy generally increases across a period.

    Model answer

    Nuclear charge increases across a period while shielding remains similar, so electrons are held more tightly

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AAtomisation turns each element into gaseous atoms.
BIonisation energy removes electrons from the metal atoms.
CElectron affinity adds electrons to the non-metal atoms.

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Anode means electrode where oxidation occurs.
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