The first eight successive ionization energies IE₁, IE₂, …) for Al are 578; 1817; 2745; 11,577; 14,842; 18,379; 23,326; and 27,465 kJ/mol.What is the probable explanation for the large jump in energy observed between IE₃ and IE₄?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The large jump in energy between the third and fourth ionization energies indicates that after removing the first three electrons (which are in the outermost shell), the fourth electron to be removed comes from a closer, more tightly bound inner shell, reflecting a significant increase in ionization energy.

The First Eight Successive Ionization Energies IE1, IE2, …) for Al

The First Eight Successive Ionization Energies IE₁, IE₂, …) for Al