# Freakin' photo electron spectroscopy **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freakin-photo-electron-spectroscopy/785407 "2017-04-28T00:56:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freakin-photo-electron-spectroscopy/785407/1 "2017-04-28T00:56:59Z")
So, this AP kid bought a set of flash cards, and this one has me boggled, because I never got the topic down as a student myself. [![](https://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k110/flavord/IMG_20170427_170014_zps5v17yamf.jpg) ](https://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k110/flavord/IMG_20170427_170014_zps5v17yamf.jpg) [![](https://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k110/flavord/IMG_20170427_170049_zpshaverthl.jpg) ](https://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k110/flavord/IMG_20170427_170049_zpshaverthl.jpg) What about this data table tells me the ion charges on these fake atoms? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freakin-photo-electron-spectroscopy/785407/2 "2017-04-28T02:22:49Z")
Consider a real element, like sodium. That first electron is really easy to knock off-- Sodium will pretty much give away its valence electron to the first person who asks. So the first electron will have a low ionization energy. But to strip off two electrons, you have to put in the energy for the first one, which isn’t much… but then you have a full outer shell, and it’s a shell that’s deeper in, and harder to strip electrons from. So in addition to the small energy for the first one, now you have to put in a big amount of energy to strip the second one (and the third, and the fourth, if you’re trying to ionize it further). It’s similar for calcium: The two valence electrons are pretty easy, but then you get to harder electrons, and have to pay a steep price for each of them. Now look at the energies on those tables again. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freakin-photo-electron-spectroscopy/785407/3 "2017-04-28T03:11:11Z")
Of course. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freakin-photo-electron-spectroscopy/785407/4 "2017-04-28T15:37:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Consider a real element, like sodium. That first electron is really easy to knock off-- Sodium will pretty much give away its valence electron to the first person who asks. Sodium is the slut of the periodic table? ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freakin-photo-electron-spectroscopy/785407/5 "2017-04-28T17:08:14Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Sodium is the slut of the periodic table? It’s not just sodium — [the whole family](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkali_metal) is like that, always stirring up trouble and [making a scene.](https://youtu.be/uixxJtJPVXk?t=1m2s) Best not to associate with the lot of them. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freakin-photo-electron-spectroscopy/785407/6 "2017-04-29T01:27:43Z")
Yeah, sodium’s positively demure compared to her big sisters. But at least none of them will give up their electrons to two halogens at once, like those alkaloids will… \