Question

You examine an element, X, and find it to be shiny, a good electrical conductor, and malleable. You also find that X reacts rapidly when placed in water. You examine another element, Y, and find it to be an electrical insulator, brittle, and have a dull appearance. Element Y doesn't react when placed in water. Which element, X or Y, has the greater ionization energy?

A. Element X
B. Element Y
C. Both have the same ionization energy
D. Not enough information to determine

Answer 1

Element Y, which is an electrical insulator, brittle, and dull, indicating it is a nonmetal, likely has the greater ionization energy compared to element X, which has properties of a metal.

Step-by-step explanation:

The greater ionization energy is a characteristic of nonmetals, which are typically poor conductors of heat and electricity, brittle, and have a dull appearance. An element with these properties, like Y, suggests that it is a nonmetal and would have a high ionization energy. On the other hand, element X has characteristics of a metal, being shiny, malleable, good electrical conductor, and reacting rapidly with water, indicating that it has a lower ionization energy. Therefore, element Y has the greater ionization energy.