---
title: "A student compares the atomic structures and periodic trends of nitrogen (\\(\\text{N}\\)) and oxygen (\\(\\text{O}\\)). The atomic numbers and ground-state electron configurations for both elements are given in the table below.  | Element | Atomic Number | Electron Configuration | |—|—|—| | \\(\\text{N}\\) | 7 | \\(1s^2 2s^2 2p^3\\) | | \\(\\text{O}\\) | 8 | \\(1s^2 2s^2 2p^4\\) |  Which of the following claims correctly compares the first ionization energies of nitrogen and oxygen and provides the correct reasoning?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119347/"
date_modified: "2026-08-19T12:39:54+00:00"
---

# A student compares the atomic structures and periodic trends of nitrogen (\(\text{N}\)) and oxygen (\(\text{O}\)). The atomic numbers and ground-state electron configurations for both elements are given in the table below.

| Element | Atomic Number | Electron Configuration |
|—|—|—|
| \(\text{N}\) | 7 | \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^3\) |
| \(\text{O}\) | 8 | \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^4\) |

Which of the following claims correctly compares the first ionization energies of nitrogen and oxygen and provides the correct reasoning?

A student compares the atomic structures and periodic trends of nitrogen (\(\text{N}\)) and oxygen (\(\text{O}\)). The atomic numbers and ground-state electron configurations for both elements are given in the table below.

| Element | Atomic Number | Electron Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| \(\text{N}\) | 7 | \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^3\) |
| \(\text{O}\) | 8 | \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^4\) |

Which of the following claims correctly compares the first ionization energies of nitrogen and oxygen and provides the correct reasoning?

- **A.** \(\text{N}\) has a higher first ionization energy than \(\text{O}\) because removing an electron from \(\text{O}\) involves a paired electron in a \(2p\) orbital, where electron-electron repulsion makes the electron easier to remove.
- **B.** \(\text{N}\) has a higher first ionization energy than \(\text{O}\) because the valence electrons in \(\text{N}\) experience a greater effective nuclear charge than the valence electrons in \(\text{O}\).
- **C.** \(\text{O}\) has a higher first ionization energy than \(\text{N}\) because \(\text{O}\) has a greater nuclear charge, attracting its valence electrons more strongly toward the nucleus.
- **D.** \(\text{O}\) has a higher first ionization energy than \(\text{N}\) because the valence electrons in \(\text{O}\) occupy a lower principal energy level than those in \(\text{N}\).

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119347/*