Electrostatic Model for the Correlation Between the Work Function and the Ionization Energy of the Metallic Elements

Abstract

A correlation between the measured ionization energy V of gaseous atoms and the work function W of the corresponding metallic solids is presented as W ≅(½)V. This first-order relationship is explained on the basis of a simple electrostatic model involving image forces. The accuracy of the work functions calculated from this straightforward result is surprisingly good for most of the metallic elements.