DAT Destroyer Question?

[panmit]

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For silicon, which ionization energy would you predict to be exceptionally large as compared to the preceding ionization energy value?
a- 1st
b- 2nd
c- 3rd
d- 4th
e- 5th
answer is E

According to Chad, I picked C because Si has two unpaired electrons in the P orbital, however, once you try to remove the electron from the S orbital, this would be very unfavorable because the S orbital has paired electrons. Chad kept on saying that electrons want to be paired or half-paired (i.e. Nitrogen with 3 half filled p orbitals.

I do get why E should be the right answer. Should I just think that removing an electron from the octet is super super unfavorable compared to everything else?

 

[discensdentibus]

Do you ever see a noble gas with a charge on it? Nope. It doesn't happen because they are selfish hermits. Rarely does a halogen get a positive charge (indicating a loss of electron) because it is super unstable; this make sense ochem wise. You want to associate it being unfavorable because you are removing a core electron for gen chem's sake, but if you can see the similarities between the chemistries, it will make building knowledge and applying it a bit easier.

 

[Member 139582]

Yea your right, but that's why it stated in the question "exceptionally large" not just larger than the previous. C would have been correct if it had just said slightly larger, but compared to removal of a core electron, that is wayyy more unfavorable, and requires way more energy.