From the ground state electronic configuration of the elements given below, pick up the one with hig — Periodic Table and Periodicity Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: Write down the electronic configurations of the monovalent cations (M^+) after losing the first electron: (a) [Ne] 3s1, (b) [Ne], (c) 1s2 2s2 2p5, (d) 1s2 2s2 2p4. Step 2: The second ionization energy involves removing an electron from these cations. For option (b), the monovalent cation has a highly stable, completely filled noble gas configuration ([Ne]). Step 3: Removing an electron from a stable octet requires an exceptionally large amount of energy, meaning element (b) has the highest second ionization energy.