83.6k views
0 votes
Explain why the first ionization energy of sulfur is less than that of phosphorus____

1 Answer

6 votes

Final answer:

The first ionization energy of sulfur is lower than that of phosphorus due to electron-electron repulsion caused by the additional electron in sulfur's 3p subshell.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first ionization energy of sulfur is less than that of phosphorus because of the electron configuration and electron-electron repulsion within the atoms. Sulfur's electron configuration is [Ne]3s²3p4, while phosphorus's electron configuration is [Ne]3s²3p³. The additional electron in sulfur's 3p subshell leads to electron-electron repulsion, making sulfur slightly less stable and easier to remove an electron compared to phosphorus. This results in a lower first ionization energy for sulfur.

User Hartmut Holzgraefe
by
8.1k points

No related questions found

Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.