(b) Would you expect it to require more or less energy to remove a 3s electron from the chlorine atom, as compared with a 2p electron?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of ionization energy, which is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom in the gaseous state.
2. Recognize that electrons in different orbitals (such as 3s and 2p) experience different levels of attraction to the nucleus due to their distance and shielding effects.
3. Recall that electrons in the same principal energy level (n) but different sublevels (s, p, d, f) can have different energies. Generally, s electrons are closer to the nucleus and more tightly bound than p electrons in the same principal energy level.
4. Consider the electron configuration of chlorine: [Ne] 3s² 3p⁵. The 3s electron is in a lower energy sublevel compared to the 3p electrons, meaning it is closer to the nucleus and experiences less shielding.
5. Conclude that it would require more energy to remove a 3s electron from chlorine than a 3p electron because the 3s electron is more tightly bound to the nucleus due to its lower energy and less shielding from other electrons.