SUCCESSIVE

IONISATION
ENERGY
by ivan and aina
Successive ionization energies such as the first ionization energy, IE 1 ,second ionization
energy, IE 2 and so on increase because

Each electron is removed away from an ion

The remaining electrons are attached strongly to the nucleus

It becomes increasingly difficult to be removed from a more

positive ion
 SUCCESSIVE IE
There is sudden
First e- removed from 3s
increase of IE

Second e- removed from 2p

Third e- removed from 2p

A very large increase in IE indicates

the removal of a particular electron involves an electron from an inner

shell, which has a stable noble gas electron configuration.
 Method to deduce electronic configuration
◦ a) Differences in ionisation energy
The table shows the successive ionisation energies of atom X

Ionisation First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth

energy 787 1575 3220 4350 16100 19800
(kJ/mol)

Solution :
Calculate the differences of ionisation energies :
IE2 - IE1 = 1575 - 787 = 788 kJ/mol
IE3 - IE2 = 3220 - 1575 = 1645 kJ/mol
IE4 - IE3 = 4350 - 3220 = 1130kJ/mol
IE5 - IE4 = 16100 - 4350 = 11750 kJ/mol
IE6 - IE5 = 19800 - 16100 = 3700 kJ/mol

 It can be deduced that element has 4 valence electrons

 Electronic configuration of the valence electrons is ns2 np2
 Element is in group 14
◦ b) Ionisation energy ratio

IE2/ IE1 = 1575/787 = 2.00

IE3/ IE2 = 3220/1575 = 2.04
IE4/ IE3 = 4350/32220 = 1.35
IE5/ IE4 = 16100/4350 = 3.70
IE6/ IE5 = 19800/16100 = 1.23

 Fifth electron is difficult to be removed from an inner shell

Question 1:
◦ The first five ionisation energies for a third period element are shown below

◦ Ionisation energy (kj/mol)

First 578
Second 1817
Third 2745
Fourth 11578
Fifth 14848

What is the identity of the element?

Group?
Valence electron configuration?
Question 2:
Deduce the groyup number of element pf the element with the following
ionisation energies ( in kJ/mol) and write its valence electron configuration.

IE1 1E2 IE3 IE4 IE5 IE6

1012 1903 2910 4956 6278 22230