Period 3 Elements: Ionization Energy and Melting Points

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What happens to the ionisation energy down a group?

Decreases

Explain the trend in melting points of period 2 elements.

Melting points peak towards the middle of the period.

Why do Lithium and Beryllium have increasing melting points?

Due to greater positive charged ions.

What type of bonds do Boron and Carbon form?

Giant covalent lattices with very strong covalent bonds. Signup and view all the answers

What type of molecules are Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, and Neon?

Small, simple covalent molecules. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the trend of first ionisation energies along period 2.

Follows a general increasing trend. Signup and view all the answers

Why do Boron and Oxygen exhibit exceptions to the trend of increasing first ionization energy across Period 3?

Due to the presence of unpaired electrons in their electron configurations. Signup and view all the answers

How does the metallic bonding in Sodium, Magnesium, and Aluminium contribute to their increasing melting points across Period 3?

Greater positive charged ions and more released free electrons lead to increased attractive electrostatic forces. Signup and view all the answers

Why does Silicon have a very high melting point compared to other Period 3 elements?

Silicon has a macromolecular structure with very strong covalent bonds. Signup and view all the answers

What type of bonding holds Phosphorus, Sulphur, and Chlorine together?

Weak van der Waals forces. Signup and view all the answers

Explain why Argon has a very low melting point compared to the other Period 3 elements.

Argon exists as individual atoms with a full outer shell of electrons. Signup and view all the answers

How do the quantum behavior of electrons in Boron and Oxygen affect their first ionization energy?

The unpaired electrons in their electron configurations require less energy to remove. Signup and view all the answers

What is the molecular ion peak in a mass spectrum?

The tallest peak corresponding to the relative molecular mass of the molecule, formed from the M+ species. Signup and view all the answers

Why do chlorine mass spectra display a 3:1 ratio for Cl+ ions?

Due to the presence of different isotopes of chlorine, with one being more common than the other. Signup and view all the answers

Define ionisation energy in terms of atoms in a gaseous state.

Ionisation energy is the minimum energy required to remove one mole of electrons from one mole of atoms in a gaseous state, measured in kJmol-1. Signup and view all the answers

Explain why successive ionisation energies generally increase.

Successive ionisation energies increase because as electrons are removed, the electrostatic force of attraction between the nucleus and the outer electron increases. Signup and view all the answers

How does the first ionisation energy vary within the Periodic Table?

First ionisation energy follows trends in the Periodic Table, influenced by proton-electron forces of attraction and electron shielding. Signup and view all the answers

What role does chemical bonding play in the formation of mass spectra?

Chemical bonding affects the formation of mass spectra by influencing the molecular ion peak and isotopic patterns observed. Signup and view all the answers