Systematic study of Politzer’s energy relation for atoms

The parameter k appearing in Politzer’s energy relation for atoms E=kVNe, which connects the total electronic energy E of a given atom with its nuclear–electronic interaction energy VNe, has been determined systematically using the near Hartree–Fock data given by Clementi for a wide variety of atoms and ions. It turns out that k for an isoelectronic series of atoms approaches 0.5, which is appropriate to a hydrogenlike atom. It has been found that the general pattern of k vs Z curves can be explained very well by Slater’s simple model for electronic structure of atoms with the idea of a screening effect due to inner electrons upon outer electrons.