Electron Energy Levels

[Rebekah Kaufman 1L]

Why, as electron energy levels (n) increase, does the amount of energy between the energy levels decrease? (Ex. it takes more energy to go from n=2 to n=1 thanto go from n=4 to n=2)

[Ellie Tsang 1I]

The electrons in n=4 is further away from the nucleus as compared to n=2, so the force between the nucleus and the electron is smaller. This means it requires less energy to remove the electrons, and this corresponds to the energy level of it.

[joannehaddad]

The energy levels decrease because the electrons are further away from the nucleus, where the protons are. That means that less energy is needed to remove electrons because the attraction between the protons and electrons is weaker due to increased distance.

[colecabling1A]

Electrons orbiting around the outermost shell of an atom have the lowest amount of energy because the distance between the nucleus and the outer shells is greater; therefore, valence electrons are easier to remove than electrons inhabiting orbitals closer to the nucleus.