Large steps in ionization energy are observed for most elements due to the fact that half full and full subshells have extra stability, and therefore take more energy to remove an electron than would be predicted by the normal trend.

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Large steps in ionization energy occur when removing an electron from a stable, half-full, or full subshell, as these configurations are more stable and require more energy to disrupt.

Large Steps in Ionization Energy Are Observed for Most Elements