Background: The ionization energies of the representative elements generally decrease from top to bottom within a group. This trend is explained by the increase in size of the atoms within a group. The valence electron that is being removed is further from the nucleus in the case of a larger atom. The attractive force between the valence electron and the nucleus weakens as the distance between them increases and as the shielding effect increases, resulting in a lower ionization energy for the larger atoms within a group. Although the nuclear charge is increased for larger atoms, the shielding effect also increases due to the presence of a larger number of inner electrons. This is particularly easy to see in the alkali metals, where the single valence electron is shielded by all of the inner core electrons.

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: Which atom's removed valence electron is farther from its own nucleus?
Answer: atom L

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: Which atom's removed valence electron is closer to its own nucleus?
Answer: atom S

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: Is the attraction between the valence electron and the nucleus stronger or weaker in atom L?
Answer: weaker

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: Is the attraction between the valence electron and the nucleus stronger or weaker in atom S?
Answer: stronger

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: Is the shielding effect in atom L higher or lower than in atom S?
Answer: higher

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: Is the shielding effect in atom S higher or lower than in atom L?
Answer: lower

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: The ionization energy is lower in which cell?
Answer: atom L

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: The ionization energy is higher in which cell?
Answer: atom S

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: Which cell has more inner electrons?
Answer: atom L

Situation: Joel has just started his first day working as a scientist in a laboratory. The first task he was given is to look at two atoms and to jot down as much information about the two as he can. First, he needs to come up with an identification for these atoms. Since he is new, he decides to keep it professional and simply call the larger of the two atoms "atom L" and the smaller one "atom S". Now that he's taken care of that he can get down to work.

Question: Which cell has less inner electrons?
Answer: atom S