Animation 9.2: Electron Shells and Periodic Trends
Ionization energy is the amount of energy needed to remove an electron from an atom or ion. The ionization energy is a measure of how tightly bound an electron is to a nucleus.
The animation reports the ionization energy of the first electron removed for the first eleven atoms. As we proceed from left to right across a periodic row, electrons become more and more tightly bound. However, as a new row begins, the ionization energy drops drastically compared to the previous element.
.Elements with comparatively large ionization energies, such as helium and neon, are said to have a filled valence shell. A filled valence shell has a certain chemical stability, not only for elements in the last column of the periodic chart, the noble gases, but for any element that has the same number of electrons as a noble gas.
- The halogens tend to form single bonds, gaining only one electron. Based on the information provided in the animation, why is that?
- Elements in the first column, the alkali metals, always donate one (but only one) electron. Based on the information provided in the animation, why is that?
- How many bonds would you expect carbon to form?
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