Final answer:
To predict an excited state electron configuration, begin with the ground state configuration based on an element's position in the periodic table, then adjust the configuration to reflect electrons in higher energy orbitals.
Step-by-step explanation:
To provide the electron configuration for an excited state of a specified element, consider the element's position on the periodic table and its ground state electronic structure. In the ground state, electrons occupy the lowest energy orbitals available, following the Aufbau principle. However, for an excited state, one or more electrons are promoted to higher energy orbitals. To predict the valence shell electron configuration, first write out the full electron configuration or the core-abbreviated configuration using a noble gas as a reference, then alter it to reflect the excited state by elevating an electron(s) to the next higher orbital(s).
For example, the ground state electron configuration for lithium (Li) is 1s² 2s¹. An excited state may have an electron configuration such as 1s² 2p¹, indicating that an electron has moved from the 2s to the 2p orbital.
Understanding electron configurations helps in determining the electronic structure of an atom and predicting chemical behaviors. Note that Aufbau diagrams can visually represent the configuration, specifying the subshell and the number of electrons as a superscript.