One mole of magnesium in the vapour state absorbed 1200 of energy. If the first and second ionization energies of Mg are 750 and 1450 respectively, the final composition of the mixture is:

Question

One mole of magnesium in the vapour state absorbed 1200  of energy. If the first and second ionization energies of Mg are 750 and 1450 respectively, the final composition of the mixture is:

Canvas Classes · Accepted Answer

🧠 The energy budget for ionization
Think of the  as a fixed budget. You spend it one step at a time — first on all atoms, then on some fraction of ions.

🗺️ Two-phase spending
Phase 1: Remove one electron from every Mg atom. Cost . All atoms become . Remaining budget .

Phase 2: Use the leftover  to convert some  to . Each mole of  costs . So the fraction converted .

That means  becomes  and the rest, , stays as .

⚠️ Common mistake
Many students average both IEs and divide — that gives the w

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