37.7k views
2 votes
How do the first ionization energies of main group elements vary across a period and down a group?

1 Answer

2 votes
They increase across each period, decrease down a group. As you go across a period the number of protons and increases. The positive nucleus then has a stronger attractive force on the electrons so it takes a larger amount of energy to remove an electron. As you go down a group the atoms are larger so the attractive force is weaker and it takes less energy to remove an electron.
User Kalu Singh Rao
by
7.7k points

Related questions

asked Feb 8, 2020 140k views
Ches asked Feb 8, 2020
by Ches
7.4k points
1 answer
0 votes
140k views