Question

When comparing the energy of an electron in the 3d sub-level to that of an electron in the 4s sublevel of the same atom,

a) The 3d electron would have more energy.
b) The 4s electron would have more energy.
c) The two electrons would have identical energies.
d) No conclusion can be drawn about the energy of either electron.

Answer 1

The 4s electron would have more energy than the 3d electron in the same atom.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the energy level diagram and the filling order of atomic sublevels, the 4s sublevel is slightly lower in energy than the 3d sublevel, and therefore, it fills first. This means that the 4s electron would have more energy than the 3d electron in the same atom. So, the correct answer is b) The 4s electron would have more energy.