Question

1. what is ionization energy, and how does a larger electrostatic force between the nucleus and an electron affect the amount of energy needed to remove that electron?

Explanation:

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion in its gaseous state. The electrostatic force between the nucleus (positive charge) and an electron (negative charge) is attractive. A larger electrostatic force means the electron is more strongly held by the nucleus. So, more energy is needed to overcome this stronger attraction and remove the electron.

Answer:

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from a gaseous atom/ion. A larger electrostatic force between nucleus and electron increases the ionization energy (more energy is needed to remove the electron as it's more strongly held).