Final answer:
The correct excited state electron configuration from the options is D) 1s² 2s² 2p¶ 3s² 3p¶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p¹, which shows an electron promoted to a higher energy orbital than it would be in the ground state.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking for the excited state electron configuration of an atom. Unlike the ground state where electrons fill up the orbitals in the order of increasing energy (as per the Aufbau principle), in an excited state, one or more electrons have moved to higher energy orbitals than they would be in a ground state configuration. Here are the options re-stated for clarity, with the assumption that the incorrect configurations have been ignored:
- A) 1s² 2s² 2p¶ 3s² 3p¶ 3d¹⁰ 4s¹
- B) 1s² 2s² 2p¶ 3s² 3p¶ 4s¹
- C) 1s² 2s² 2p¶ 3s² 3p¶ 3d¹⁰ 4s²
- D) 1s² 2s² 2p¶ 3s² 3p¶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p¹
For an excited state configuration, D) is the correct choice because it shows an electron being promoted from a lower energy level to a higher one (specifically, 4s² to 4p¹). All other configurations represent ground state arrangements for the elements.