Final answer:
According to the electron cloud model, the electrons closest to the nucleus have lower energy because they are within the strong attractive field of the positively charged protons in the nucleus.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the electron cloud model, the electrons closest to the nucleus will have lower energy to resist the nucleus's attractive pull. In the context of atomic structure, electrons are negatively charged particles orbiting the nucleus, which is positively charged due to the presence of protons. The attraction between the opposite charges keeps electrons near the nucleus.
The energy an electron possesses is related to its position in relation to the nucleus. The closer an electron is situated to the nucleus, the less energy it has because it's within the strong attractive field of the nucleus. Electrons with higher energy are found further away from the nucleus because they require more energy to overcome this attractive pull and remain in higher energy orbits.
Thus, electrons with the most energy would be found in the outermost energy levels, away from the nucleus, and the electrons with the least energy would be found in the innermost levels, closer to the nucleus.