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user61822
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Why isn't ionization energy called cationization energy?

I'm learning chemistry and ionization energy is "[...] the amount of energy required to remove the most loosely bound electron, the valence electron, of an isolated gaseous atom to form a cation." It seems more intuitive to me to call this cationization energy. Other than historical reasons and convention, are there any reasons why it's not?

user61822
  • 253
  • 2
  • 7