Question

Rank the following elements in order of increasing ionization energy: \(\mathrm{P}, \mathrm{O}, \mathrm{S}\).

Short answer

The elements in order of increasing ionization energy are: \(\mathrm{P} < \mathrm{S} < \mathrm{O}\)

Step-by-step solution

Identify Element Positions

Locate the positions of these elements on the periodic table. Oxygen (O) is in Group 16, Period 2; sulfur (S) is in Group 16, Period 3; and phosphorous (P) is in Group 15, Period 3.

Apply Ionization Energy Trend

Recall the trends of ionization energy on the periodic table. Ionization energy generally increases as you move from left to right across a period, and decreases as you move down a group. Phosphorus (P), being to the left of sulfur (S) and oxygen (O), should have the lowest ionization energy. Among sulfur (S) and oxygen (O), since sulfur (S) is below oxygen (O), it should have lower ionization energy than oxygen (O).

Rank the Elements

Using the trends and positions of the elements on the periodic table, you can now rank them in order of increasing ionization energy. Phosphorus (P) has the lowest, followed by sulfur (S), and then oxygen (O) has the highest ionization energy.

Key concepts

Periodic Table Trends

The periodic table is not just a chart of elements; it reveals patterns, known as trends, that help us understand elements' behavior. One key trend is ionization energy, the energy required to remove an electron from an atom. Generally, as you move from left to right across a period, ionization energy increases due to increasing nuclear charge, pulling electrons closer to the nucleus. However, as you move down a group, ionization energy decreases because additional electron shells increase the distance between the nucleus and the outermost electrons. In simpler terms, elements in the top right corner of the periodic table tend to have higher ionization energies, while those in the bottom left have lower ionization energies. Recognizing these trends can help predict how different elements behave in chemical reactions and why they gain or lose electrons during reactions.

Element Positions

Understanding where elements are located on the periodic table is crucial when discussing their properties. Every element’s position is defined by its group (vertical column) and period (horizontal row). For example, Oxygen (O) is situated in Group 16 and Period 2, while Sulfur (S) is in Group 16, Period 3, and Phosphorus (P) is in Group 15, Period 3. Knowing the position helps us understand how elements relate to each other.

• Oxygen is positioned higher up, indicating it generally has a high ionization energy.
• Sulfur, located directly below Oxygen, has additional inner electron shells, affecting its ionization energy.
• Phosphorus, situated left of Sulfur and Oxygen, typically has a lower ionization energy.

By studying an element’s position, we can predict tendencies in its chemical properties.

Chemical Elements Ranking

Ranking elements by ionization energy involves comparing their positions on the periodic table and applying known trends.

• Phosphorus (P) is located to the left of Sulfur (S) and Oxygen (O) on the same period, which suggests it has the lowest ionization energy among them.
• Sulfur, being below Oxygen in the group, generally has a lower ionization energy than Oxygen because of increased electron shielding.
• Oxygen, with higher nuclear charge and positioned in the upper part of the periodic table, has the highest ionization energy between the three.

Therefore, when ranking the elements from lowest to highest ionization energy, the order is: Phosphorus (P) with the lowest, followed by Sulfur (S), and Oxygen (O) with the highest. This ranking takes advantage of the predictable patterns on the periodic table, illustrating the practical application of chemical principles.