This Study Mind Tutorial covers the following specification points:

Edexcel: 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.26, 4.1, 1.15(ii,iii)

1.11. be able to define the terms ‘first ionisation energy’ and ‘successive ionisation energies’

1.12. understand how ionisation energies are influenced by the number of protons, the electron shielding and the electron sub-shell from which the electron is removed

1.13. understand reasons for the general increase in first ionisation energy across a period

1.14. understand reasons for the decrease in first ionisation energy down a group

1.26. be able to illustrate periodicity using data, including electronic configurations, atomic radii, melting and boiling temperatures and first ionisation energies

4.1. understand reasons for the trend in ionisation energy down Group 2

1.15. understand how ideas about electronic configuration developed from:

(ii) the fact that successive ionisation energies provide evidence for the existence of quantum shells and the group to which the element belongs

(iii) the fact that the first ionisation energy of successive elements provides evidence for electron sub-shells