In: Chemistry
Explain why the successive ionization energies (i.e., IE1, IE2, IE3, etc.) for a given element always increase.
Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from the outermost shell of an atom.
All the electrons present in the outermost shell will face nuclear forces which are from the nucleus of that atom.
The electrons present in the outermost shell will face less nuclear attraction forces when compared to inner shell electrons.
First ionization energy (IE1) is the energy required to remove the first electron in the outermost shell.
As the number of electrons decreases in the outer shell, the net nuclear attraction force will be more on the remaining electrons of the outer shell.
Hence the energy required to remove the second (IE2) and third (IE3) and so on... will be more than that of the energy required to remove the first electron (IE1).