Question

what determines the ground state of an atom? a. each energy state is filled. b. each electron is occupying the lowest energy state available without violating the exclusion principle. c. each electron has its lowest quantum number. d. each electron is occupying a zero orbital angular momentum state. e. each electron has the same spin quantum number.

Answer 1

The ground state of an atom is determined by the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons will occupy orbitals in order from lowest energy to highest.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ground state of an atom is determined by the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons will occupy orbitals in order from lowest energy to highest. The lowest energy sublevel, called the 1s sublevel, is always filled first. Each electron will occupy the lowest energy state available without violating the Pauli's exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons can occupy the same energy level with the same set of quantum numbers. Therefore, option b. each electron is occupying the lowest energy state available without violating the exclusion principle, determines the ground state of an atom.