Question

How to distinguish between ground state and excited state in electron configuration?

A) Count the number of subshells
B) Look for unpaired electrons
C) Identify the highest energy level
D) Examine the orbital shapes

Answer 1

To distinguish between ground state and excited state in electron configuration, count the number of subshells, look for unpaired electrons, identify the highest energy level, and examine the orbital shapes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The electron configuration of an atom can help us determine its ground state and excited state. Here are the steps to distinguish between the two:

1. Count the number of subshells: The ground state electron configuration will have all subshells completely filled while the excited state will have at least one subshell partially filled.
2. Look for unpaired electrons: In the ground state, all electrons are paired up in the subshells. In the excited state, there may be one or more unpaired electrons in the partially filled subshell.
3. Identify the highest energy level: The electrons in the ground state occupy the lowest available energy levels. In the excited state, one or more electrons have been promoted to higher energy levels.
4. Examine the orbital shapes: The ground state electron configuration may have the electrons in different orbitals with distinct shapes. In the excited state, there may be electrons in orbitals of different shapes due to the higher energy levels.