Suppose the energy required to ionize an argon atom is i, the energy to excite it is e, and its thermal energy at room temperature is t. In increasing order, these three energies are:
A) i, e, t
B) t, i, e
C) e, t, i
D) i, t, e
E) t, e, i

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The thermal energy at room temperature is the lowest among the three energies since it is determined by the temperature of the surroundings, not the properties of the atom itself. Therefore, t should be the first in the increasing order. Then, the energy required to excite the atom (e) should be higher than its thermal energy but lower than the energy required for ionization (i). Hence, the correct order is e, t, i, which corresponds to choice C.

Suppose the Energy Required to Ionize an Argon Atom Is