Chapter 14, Problem 14.1P

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The greater ionization energy of Hydrogen than lithium has to be explained.

Concept Introduction:

Ionization energy:

The required energy to remove an electron from the outermost electron from a neutral atom is known as ionization energy.

Explanation of Solution

The electronic configuration of hydrogen and lithium are,

  $\begin{array}{l}\text{H}\text{=}{\text{1S}}^{\text{1}}\\ \text{Li}\text{=}{\text{1S}}^{\text{2}},2{\text{S}}^{\text{1}}\end{array}$

In generally the full filled or half-filled orbitals are stable. Hydrogen has half-filled $\text{1S}$ orbital and Lithium has half filled $\text{2S}$.

After removal of electron from lithium it gets completely filed $\text{1S}$ orbital and it attains stable electronic configuration and but removal of electron from hydrogen results unstable hydrogen ion. Therefore Lithium required less energy to remove an electron then hydrogen.

Hence, Lithium has lower ionization energy than Hydrogen.