Answer to Question #330914 in General Chemistry for Austine

Question

9. Elements with very large ionization energies also tend to have highly exothermic electron affinities. Explain

Answer 1

In the atoms of the elements with high ionization energy the atomic number increases in the group without an increase in the number of energy levels. This way the attraction of electrons increases and the atomic radius decreases (for example, fluorine). So, outermost electrons are hard to remove. It means that the electron affinity is greater and more energy is released.