Consider a hydrogen atom and a helium ion, \(\mathrm{He}^{+}\). Which of these do you expect to have the larger ionization energy? Explain your reasoning, including any assumptions you make.

Chemical bonding refers to the force that holds atoms together within a compound. The strength and stability of these bonds are influenced by the ionization energy of the atoms involved. In a bond formation, typically, one atom's electron is attracted to another atom's nucleus, leading to either sharing or transfer of electrons.

When we look at ionization energy in the context of chemical bonding, a high ionization energy signifies that an atom does not readily lose its electrons, making it less likely to form certain types of bonds, like ionic bonds, where electron transfer is required. On the other hand, atoms with low ionization energy can more easily form ionic bonds since they can easily lose electrons.

Understanding the concept of ionization energy is crucial in predicting and explaining the types of chemical bonds that will form between different elements. When comparing the hydrogen atom and the helium ion (He+), knowing their ionization energies can help us infer how they would interact with other atoms, with the helium ion potentially being less reactive due to its higher ionization energy.

The atomic structure of an element or ion plays a significant role in determining its ionization energy. An atom's structure mainly consists of a nucleus, containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons in defined regions called orbitals.

The electrons closest to the nucleus feel a stronger attraction due to the positive charge of the protons. This attraction increases as the number of protons in an atom's nucleus increases, influencing the energy required to remove an electron. For instance, the helium ion with two protons exerts greater attraction on its sole electron compared to the hydrogen atom, which has only one proton.

This difference in proton count within the nucleus of hydrogen and helium ions directly relates to why helium ion (He+) has a higher ionization energy than a hydrogen atom. The helium ion's more positively charged nucleus binds the electron more firmly.

The term 'nuclear charge' refers to the total charge of the nucleus, which is the product of the number of protons within the nucleus and the elementary charge. The nuclear charge affects the ionization energy because a higher positive charge in the nucleus will more strongly attract electrons, increasing the energy required to remove them.

When comparing Hydrogen and the Helium ion (He+), the nuclear charge of He+ is double that of Hydrogen due to its two protons. This larger nuclear charge in He+ will bind its electron more tightly than Hydrogen, thus predicting a higher ionization energy for the Helium ion.

It's essential to remember that the effective nuclear charge felt by an electron can be different from the actual nuclear charge due to electron shielding effects, although this is more notable in atoms with multiple electrons.

Electron removal, or ionization, is the process by which an atom or an ion loses an electron, resulting in the formation of a positively charged ion. The energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion is the ionization energy. The first ionization energy is always associated with removing the most loosely held electron.

Factors affecting the ease of electron removal include the atomic number, the electron's distance from the nucleus, and the nuclear charge. Elements with a high nuclear charge and smaller atomic radius—like the Helium ion—tend to have higher ionization energies, making electron removal more difficult. Conversely, atoms with fewer protons and larger atomic radii generally have lower ionization energies, for instance, the hydrogen atom.

Thus, in comparing the ionization energies of a hydrogen atom and a helium ion (He+), the electron removal process would require more energy for the helium ion due to its greater nuclear charge, leading to a higher ionization energy.