Final answer:
The energy needed to remove an electron from an atom is called the ionization energy. The ionization energy (IE) is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom in the gas phase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The energy that is needed to remove an electron from the atom is called the ionization energy. The ionization energy (IE) is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom in the gas phase. It is always positive (IE > 0) and larger values of IE mean that the electron is more tightly bound to the atom.