Question

It always takes energy to remove an electron from an atom, no matter what \(n\) shell the electron is in. Also, the higher the \(n\), the more energy an electron starts out with. (a) Explain why it takes energy to remove an electron from an atom no matter what \(n\) shell it is in. (b) Why does it take less energy to remove an electron from an atom the higher its \(n\) value?

Short answer

(a) It takes energy to remove an electron from an atom no matter what \(n\) shell it is in because there is always some degree of attraction between the negatively charged electron and the positively charged nucleus. To remove an electron, energy must be applied to overcome this electrostatic attraction. (b) It takes less energy to remove an electron from an atom the higher its \(n\) value because electrons in higher shells are further from the nucleus, experiencing less attraction to it. Since electrons in higher \(n\) shells have weaker attraction to the nucleus, less energy is required to overcome this attractive force and remove them from the atom.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding electron removal from an atom

To begin, it is important to understand that electrons reside in specific energy levels, or shells, around the nucleus of an atom. These shells are represented by the quantum number \(n\). Electrons in lower shells (lower \(n\) values) are closer to the positively charged nucleus, meaning they are more attracted to it, while electrons in higher shells (higher \(n\) values) are further from the nucleus and experience less attraction. To remove an electron from an atom, we have to overcome the attractive force between the negatively charged electron and the positively charged nucleus.

(a) Explaining energy requirements for electron removal

No matter which shell the electron is in, there is always some degree of attraction between the negatively charged electron and the positively charged nucleus. This means that we always need to apply energy in order to break this electrostatic attraction and remove the electron from the atom. In essence, we need to provide enough energy for the electron to overcome the attractive force exerted by the nucleus, thereby allowing it to escape the atom. Thus, it takes energy to remove an electron from an atom no matter what \(n\) shell it is in.

(b) Understanding the relationship between energy requirements and \(n\) value

The higher the \(n\) value, the further away the electron is from the positively charged nucleus. This means the electrostatic force of attraction between the nucleus and the electron decreases as \(n\) increases. Consequently, electrons in higher shells have less energy holding them to the nucleus than those in lower shells. When it comes to removing an electron from an atom, we need to provide enough energy for the electron to overcome the attractive force exerted by the nucleus. Since electrons in shells with higher \(n\) values have weaker attraction to the nucleus, it takes less energy to remove them from the atom compared to electrons in shells with lower \(n\) values. This is why it takes less energy to remove an electron from an atom the higher its \(n\) value.