203k views
4 votes
For which of these elements would the first ionization energy of the atom be higher than that of the diatomic molecule? helium boron □ hydrogen neon

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

The first ionization energy of the atom is higher than that of the diatomic molecule for helium, boron, and neon.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first ionization energy refers to the energy required to remove one electron from an atom or a diatomic molecule. For the given elements, the first ionization energy of the atom would be higher than that of the diatomic molecule for helium, boron, and neon.

For example, helium is a noble gas with a full valence shell, so its first ionization energy is high because removing an electron would disrupt the stable electronic configuration.

On the other hand, boron and neon both have partially filled valence shells. However, boron has an additional electron in the filled 1s² subshell, making it more difficult to remove an electron compared to the diatomic molecule.

User Ryan Tomlinson
by
9.1k points