Which of the following elements has greater 1st ionization energy__________________?

Correct answer: C. N

  • A. B
  • B. C
  • C. N
  • D. O

Explanation

Nitrogen has the greatest first ionization energy among B, C, N and O because its 2p3 configuration has three singly occupied p orbitals, a relatively stable half-filled arrangement. Oxygen has one paired 2p electron, so electron-electron repulsion makes its removal easier. The common distractor is O, based on the general increase in ionization energy from left to right while ignoring this half-filled subshell exception.

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About Periodic Properties and Trends

Periodic properties arise from electron configuration and effective nuclear charge, producing trends in atomic and ionic radius, ionization energy, electron affinity, electronegativity, metallic character and reactivity. Comparisons run across periods and down groups, with attention to common exceptions. The topic also relates these trends to the behavior of s-block and p-block elements.

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