What is the relationship between atomic radius and ionization energy?

What is the relationship between atomic radius and ionization energy?

Step 1: Understand what atomic radius is. It is the distance from the nucleus of an atom to the outermost electron.
Step 2: Understand what ionization energy is. It is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom.
Step 3: Recognize that larger atomic radius means the outermost electrons are further from the nucleus.
Step 4: Realize that when electrons are further from the nucleus, they are less tightly held by the positive charge of the nucleus.
Step 5: Conclude that if the outermost electrons are less tightly held, it takes less energy to remove them, leading to lower ionization energy.
Step 6: Therefore, as atomic radius increases, ionization energy decreases, showing an inverse relationship.

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