Question:medium

The correct order of ionization energy of Cl, S, P, Al, Si is:

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Ionization energy increases across a period due to increased effective nuclear charge and decreases down a group due to increased distance of the electron from the nucleus.
Updated On: Jan 28, 2026
  • Cl>P>S>Si>Al
  • Cl<P<S<Si<Al
  • P>S>Cl>Si>Al
  • S>P>Cl>Si>Al
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

The question requires us to determine the correct order of ionization energy for the elements Cl, S, P, Al, and Si.

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from a gaseous atom in its ground state. Generally, the ionization energy increases across a period from left to right due to increased nuclear charge and decreased atomic radius, making it more difficult to remove an electron.

Let's examine the elements provided:

  1. Chlorine (Cl): Chlorine is a halogen found in group 17 of the periodic table. It has a high ionization energy because of its high nuclear charge and relatively small atomic radius.
  2. Phosphorus (P): Phosphorus is located in group 15. It has a lower ionization energy compared to chlorine but higher than sulfur due to its half-filled p subshell, which is relatively stable.
  3. Sulfur (S): Sulfur is also in group 16. It has a lower ionization energy than phosphorus due to increased electron-electron repulsion in its p orbitals.
  4. Silicon (Si): An element of group 14 with lower ionization energy than sulfur because it lies to the left of sulfur in the periodic table.
  5. Aluminum (Al): This group 13 element has the lowest ionization energy among these elements due to its larger atomic size and lower effective nuclear charge.

Based on these factors, the correct order of ionization energy is:

Cl > P > S > Si > Al

Hence, the correct answer is Cl > P > S > Si > Al.

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