Rank the following elements according to their ionization energy. element ionization energy rubidium (Choose one) strontium (Choose one) ♥ cesium (Choose one) magnesium
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct order of ionization energy for the elements you provided is:
Cesium < Rubidium < Strontium < Magnesium
Explanation:
Ionization energy refers to the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion in the gas phase. It is influenced by several factors including the atomic size, nuclear charge, and electron shielding. As a general rule, ionization energy decreases as you move down a group in the periodic table (because the atomic size increases, making it easier to remove electrons), and it increases as you move across a period (because the nuclear charge increases, pulling the electrons closer to the nucleus).
1. Cesium (Cs):
Cesium is located in Group 1 of the periodic table, which means it is an alkali metal. Alkali metals have a single electron in their outermost shell, which is easily removed due to weak attraction to the nucleus. Cesium is at the bottom of Group 1, meaning it has a large atomic radius and low ionization energy. This makes cesium’s ionization energy the lowest among the elements listed.
2. Rubidium (Rb):
Rubidium is also an alkali metal but is above cesium in Group 1. While it still has a weakly held electron, its atomic radius is smaller than cesium’s, and thus its ionization energy is slightly higher than cesium’s. The trend in Group 1 elements is that ionization energy decreases as you go down the group, so rubidium’s ionization energy is higher than cesium’s but still low compared to other elements.
3. Strontium (Sr):
Strontium is an alkaline earth metal in Group 2. It has two electrons in its outermost shell, and because Group 2 elements have higher effective nuclear charge than alkali metals, their ionization energy is higher. Strontium is smaller in size compared to rubidium and cesium, and its electrons are more tightly held, so it requires more energy to remove an electron than rubidium or cesium.
4. Magnesium (Mg):
Magnesium is also in Group 2, but it is higher up in the periodic table compared to strontium. It has a smaller atomic radius and a higher effective nuclear charge, making its ionization energy higher than strontium’s. Magnesium’s electron is much more tightly held to the nucleus, so it requires the most energy to remove an electron.
I’ll now generate a visual representation of this trend!
Here is the chart visualizing the trend in ionization energy for Cesium, Rubidium, Strontium, and Magnesium. It clearly shows how ionization energy increases as you move from Cesium to Magnesium.
