Question

Energy states of atoms containing more than one electron are influenced by nucleus-electron and electron-electron interactions. Which of the following statements correctly describes these effects?

A. Larger nuclear charge lowers energy, more electrons in an orbital lowers energy.
B. Larger nuclear charge lowers energy, more electrons in an orbital increases energy.
C. Smaller nuclear charge lowers energy, more electrons in an orbital lowers energy.
D. Smaller nuclear charge lowers energy, more electrons in an orbital increases energy.
E. None of these statements is generally correct.

Answer 1

Atoms consist of three basic entity which can't be broken further into others namely neutron, proton, and electrons. Proton ad neutrons are kept in nucleus while electrons are in orbital, free to move in an orbital. The larger nuclear charge will make atom more stable and therefore lowers the energy. On the other hand, more electron will make atom unstable, because the energy will increase.

Thereby, option B is right choice.