Ionization Energy

[Layal Suboh 1I]

Why does sulfur have a higher ionization energy than oxygen?

[Emmaraf 1K]

Are you referring to a specific question? Looking at a chart online for ionization energies, it says the ionization energy for sulfur is less than oxygen.

[Sabrina Ryu 3L]

I think you mean nitrogen and oxygen? That is one of the exceptions to the ionization energies increasing from left to right, because oxygen is in group 16 and nitrogen is in group 15. This is because the electron configuration of nitrogen is more stable, because all of the p orbitals only have one electron in each subshell while oxygen has paired electrons in one of the p orbitals. This makes oxygen more willing to give up an electron than nitrogen.

[Kevin ODonnell 2B]

Are you referring to a specific question? Looking at a chart online for ionization energies, it says the ionization energy for sulfur is less than oxygen.

Here is the chart they were referring to. It may help to have a visual to better understand the concept:

[Mallory_Podosin_1H]

I was wondering the same thing... maybe just an exception??

[Charles Gu 1D]

Sulfur has less ionization energy than oxygen since its valence electrons are at a higher orbital and since the distance is farther, it would be easier to remove an electron due to shielding.

[Rosha Mamita 2H]

Down a group there is a greater distance between the nucleus and electrons of an atom because of added energy shells, so because sulphur's electrons are further away from its nucleus than oxygen, it will take less energy to remove an electron from sulphur. The farther an electron is from its nucleus, the easier it is to remove the electron.