Ionisation energy

Question 1

What is ionisation Energy?

Answer 1

The ionisation energy of an atom describes the minimum amount of energy required to remove one electron from the atom in the gaseous state

Question 2

What is the first ionisation Energy?

Answer 2

• Energy needed to remove the most loosely held electron from one mole (6.022 x 10^23 atoms) of gaseous atoms
• produces 1 mole of gaseous ions with a charge of 1+

Question 3

Equation of first ionisation Energy

Answer 3

X (g) (+ energy) -> X 1+ (g) + e-

Question 4

How is ionisation energy related to reactivity?

Answer 4

• high ionisation energy = lower reactivity
• left to right on a periodic table = increase in ionisation energy as they have increasing nuclear change (more protons) therefore get less reactive
• up to down on a periodic table = energy decreases, each element has a additional electron shell which increases the distance between the nucleus and outermost electron, therefore more reactive