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3. Explain each of the following observations. (a) Sodium has a lower first-ionization energy than lithium. (b) Oxygen has a
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a) lithium has only two orbits. So, it's valence electron which is in 2s orbital is very very close to the nucleus. Sodium has 3 orbits. Though the effective nuclear charge increases in sodium, the valence electron which is in the 3s orbital, is at a very large distance. So, sodium has lower first-ionization energy.

b) The valence electrons in nitrogen are in half-filled 2p orbital. Being half-filled, the electrons in the orbital are more stable than that in oxygen because there is no such case in case of oxygen. So, the first ionization energy of oxygen is lower than that of nitrogen.

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