What is the ionization energy with respect to an element?

1 Answer
Feb 6, 2017

#"This is the energy associated........"#

Explanation:

#"This is the energy associated with the formation of 1 mole of"#
#"gaseous cations and 1 mole of gaseous electrons from 1 mole"#
#"gaseous atoms"#.

To put it more simply this is the energy associated with the given reaction.

#M(g) + Delta rarrM^+(g)+e^-#

Thus #Delta="the ionization energy......."#

Both the element, and its cation, are specified to be in the gas phase.

See here for more detail.