The graph shows that that ionization energy generally increases from left to right across a period due to the increase in effective core charge. HOWEVER, there are two exceptions to this trend. Why does IE decrease from Group 2 to Group 3?
A drop in IE occurs between Groups 2 and 3 because the p electrons do not penetrate the nuclear region as greatly as s electrons do and are therefore not as tightly held.
A drop in IE occurs between Groups 2 and 3 because the increased repulsion created by the first pairing of electrons in the p-orbitals outweighs the increase in Zeff and thus less energy is required to remove the electron.
A drop in IE occurs between Groups 2 and 3 because there is an increase in Zeff while the number of main energy levels remains the same.
A drop in IE occurs between Groups 2 and 3 because there is a decrease in Zeff while the number of main energy levels increases.