Question 16

Among the second period elements the actual ionization enthalpies are in the order
Li < B < Be < C < O < N < F < Ne.
Explain why
(i) Be has higher ΔiH than B
(ii) O has lower ΔiH than N and F?

Answer

 

(i) Symmetry factor can be used for explaining higher ionization enthalpy of Be than B. The electronic configuration of Be is more symmetrical than that of B because both the occupied orbitals are filled in the case of Be while B has one half filled orbital in the 2p subshell. So during the process of ionization, the electron to be removed from beryllium atom is a 2s-electron, whereas the electron to be removed from boron atom is a 2p-electron. Now, 2s-electrons are more strongly attached to the nucleus than 2p-electrons and p orbital are also at slightly higher energy than the s orbital. Therefore, more energy is required to remove a 2s-electron of beryllium than that required to remove a 2p-electron of boron. Hence, beryllium has higher ΔiH than boron.



(ii)  According to symmetry factor, nitrogen has all the three 2p orbitals half filled while oxygen has one filled and two half filled orbitals in 2p subshell. In nitrogen, the three 2p-electrons of nitrogen occupy three different atomic orbitals. However, in oxygen, two of the four 2p-electrons of oxygen occupy the same 2p-orbital. This results in increased electron-electron repulsion in oxygen atom. As a result, the energy required to remove the fourth 2p-electron from oxygen is less as compared to the energy required to remove one of the three 2p-electrons from nitrogen. Hence, oxygen has lower ΔiH than nitrogen.

Fluorine contains one electron and one proton more than oxygen. As the electron is being added to the same shell, the increase in nuclear attraction (due to the addition of a proton) is more than the increase in electronic repulsion (due to the addition of an electron). Therefore, the valence electrons in fluorine atom experience a more effective nuclear charge than that experienced by the electrons present in oxygen. As a result, more energy is required to remove an electron from fluorine atom than that required to remove an electron from oxygen atom. Hence, oxygen has lower ΔiH than fluorine.

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