Question

what appears to be the trend in first ionization energy as you move down a group?
increasing
decreasing
remains the same

Explanation:

To determine the trend of first ionization energy down a group, we analyze atomic structure: as we move down a group, the number of electron shells increases, so the outermost electrons are farther from the nucleus. The effective nuclear charge experienced by these outer electrons decreases (due to shielding from inner shells), making it easier to remove an electron. Thus, first ionization energy decreases down a group.

Answer:

decreasing