Final answer:
Lower ionization energies make elements lose electrons more readily, and this trait is more common in elements on the left side of the periodic table. As electrons are removed, the ionization energy for the successive electrons always increases, especially when removing core electrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tendency of an element to lose electrons more readily is generally associated with lower ionization energies. Elements on the left side of the periodic table have lower ionization energies, which means they lose electrons more easily compared to elements on the right side. This is because, as you move from left to right across the periodic table, the atomic size decreases, causing the electrostatic interactions between the nucleus and valence electrons to increase.
Furthermore, successive ionization energies for an element always increase due to the growing electrostatic attraction as electrons are removed, making it harder to remove each subsequent electron, particularly when removing core electrons compared to valence electrons. The ionization energies increase diagonally from the lower left to the upper right of the periodic table, with some deviations due to especially stable electronic configurations such as the pseudo noble gas configurations.