TOPIC: SUCCESSIVE IONIZATION ENERGIES

The following is a plot of ionization energy versus each successive electron removed
from a sodium atom.

Large increases in ionization energy show that electrons are being removed from a
different energy level, closer to the nucleus

The graph shows that sodium has three shells.

The first electron in the n = 3 energy level. It is furthest from the nucleus and is
therefore the easiest to remove.
The electrons in the n=2 energy level are harder to remove, and all have similar
ionization energies. This is because they are all on the same shell. Each becomes
progressively harder to remove.
The top two electrons are the hardest to remove as they are close to the unshielded
nucleus. They are in the n = 1 energy level.

Successive ionization energies can therefore be used to determine electronic

configuration.