Which element has the largest ionization energy?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking to identify the chemical element that has the highest ionization energy, which is the energy required to remove the outermost electron from a gaseous atom of that element. This typically involves knowledge of the periodic table and the general trends in ionization energy across different elements.
Answer
Helium (He)
The element with the largest ionization energy is Helium (He).
Answer for screen readers
The element with the largest ionization energy is Helium (He).
More Information
Helium has the largest ionization energy because it has a small atomic radius and a high effective nuclear charge, which means that the electrons are held very tightly by the nucleus.
Sources
- Ionization Energy - chem.libretexts.org
- Ionization Energy Trends - chemguide.co.uk