Question
The first ionization energy of magnesium samples found on earth is experimentally determined to be 736kJ/mol If a similar experiment is conducted to determine the first ionization energy of magnesium in the rock sample form another planet will it be greater than, less than, or equal to the first ionization energy of magnesium found on Earth? Explain your reasoning
Answer
4.1
(192 Votes)
Queenie
Professional · Tutor for 6 years
Answer
The first ionization energy will be equal
Explanation
Ionization energy, especially the first ionization energy in this case, is the energy required to remove an electron from the outermost shell of a neutral atom in its gaseous state. This ionization energy is primarily influenced by the atomic or molecular structure of the chemical element, and not by the location, source or state of the element sample. In other words, it's a inherent property of the element itself. So as long as the samples from both the earth and the other planet are pure magnesium, their atomic structures are the same and thus their first ionization energy will also be the same. Furthermore, ionization energy determined experimentally is a collation of thousands of measurements to produce a scientific solid constant ideally immune from issues related to sample source.