Question

Among the elements of Period 2, pick out the element with the highest ionization potential.

Answer 1

• Ionization energy or ionization potential is the quantity of heat that must be supplied to eliminate the outermost electron from an isolated and neutral gaseous atom of any element.
• The general equation for the ionization of element X is:

$\mathrm{X}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\to {\mathrm{X}}^{+}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+{\mathrm{e}}^{-}$

• In the case of a Period or row, the ionization energy increases from left to right in the period in the periodic table.
• This is because across the Period the atomic number (total number of protons) increases and so does the total charge of the nucleus. The electrons are added in the same valence shell which indicates that the distance between the positive and negative charge does not change much. Therefore, the force of attraction between the valence electrons and nucleus increases due to the increase in positive charge on the nucleus.
• Due to an increase in attraction, the electron does not get easily eliminated.
• Period 2 consists of eight elements, Lithium (Li), Beryllium (Be), Boron (B), Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O), Fluorine (F), and Neon (Ne).
• Neon (Ne) is present at the rightmost side in Period 2 and therefore, it has the maximum ionization energy in the second Period.