Question

1)Explain why the second ionisation energy of sodium is greater than the second ionisation energy of magnesium.

2) An element X in Period 3 of the Periodic Table has the following successive ionisation energies. Deduce the identity of element X.
3)State and explain the trend in atomic radius of the Period 3 elements from sodium to chlorine.
4) Explain why sodium has a lower melting point than magnesium.

Answer 1

The second ionization energy of sodium is greater than the second ionization energy of magnesium due to sodium's smaller atomic radius.

Step-by-step explanation:

The second ionization energy of sodium is greater than the second ionization energy of magnesium because sodium has a smaller atomic radius than magnesium. The second ionization energy refers to the energy required to remove a second electron from an atom. Since sodium has a smaller atomic radius, it has a stronger attraction between the positively charged nucleus and the negatively charged electrons, making it more difficult to remove a second electron compared to magnesium.