The energy required to ionize an atom in its ground state is

Correct option is C

Correct answer is C
Explanation:
· Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom.
· In the ground state, the most energetic electron is the one furthest from the nucleus, as it experiences the least attraction due to the shielding effect of inner electrons.
· Ionization energy varies for different electrons within an atom; it is not the same for all electrons.
The energy required to ionize an atom in its ground state corresponds to the energy difference between the most energetic electron and the nucleus. Hence, it is the energy required to remove the most energetic electron from the atom.