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The minimum energy required to completely remove the most loosely bound electron from a mole of gaseous atoms in their ground state defines an important property of every element - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question b - 2005
Question b
The minimum energy required to completely remove the most loosely bound electron from a mole of gaseous atoms in their ground state defines an important property of ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The minimum energy required to completely remove the most loosely bound electron from a mole of gaseous atoms in their ground state defines an important property of every element - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question b - 2005
Step 1
Identify the energy quantity defined above. State the unit used to measure this quantity.
Answer
The energy quantity defined above is known as the first ionisation energy (or first ionisation potential). The unit used to measure this quantity is kilojoules per mole (kJ mol⁻¹) or electron volts (eV).
Step 2
Step 3
Would it take more or less energy to remove the most loosely bound electron from an atom if that electron were not in its ground state? Explain.
Answer
It would take less energy to remove the most loosely bound electron if that electron were not in its ground state. This is because the electron would already have gained energy and might be raised to a higher energy level or further from the nucleus, making it less tightly bound to the atom.
Step 4
An element has a low first ionisation energy value and a low electronegativity value. What does this information tell you about how reactive the element is likely to be, and what is likely to happen to the atoms of the element when they react?
Answer
An element with a low first ionisation energy and low electronegativity is likely to be very reactive. When such an element reacts, it is likely to lose electrons, becoming oxidised and positively charged.