Ionization energy and electron affinity

[juleschang16]

What is the difference between ionization energy and electron affinity and what are their trends?

[spark99]

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove the outermost bound electron. Ionization energy increases from left to right on the periodic table. Electron affinity is kind of like the opposite. It is the energy change that occurs when a neutral atom attracts an electron to become a negative ion. Electron affinity increases left to right and upwards on the periodic table.