Explain why for sodium the second ionization potential is so much larger than the first, whereas for magnesium the magnitude of the difference between the first and second ionization potential is much less?

Explanation

To explain why the second ionization potential (IP) of sodium is significantly larger than its first, while the difference between the first and second ionization potentials of magnesium is much smaller, we can analyze the electronic configurations and the stability of the resulting ions after ionization.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Ionization Potential**:
- The first ionization potential (IP1) is the energy required to remove the outermost electron from a neutral atom.
- The second ionization potential (IP2) is the energy required to remove a second electron after the first has already been removed.

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