Final answer:
The 4s orbital is filled before the 3d orbital because it has lower energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The order in which electron orbitals are filled follows a general trend in the periodic table. In the case of the 4s and 3d orbitals, the 4s orbital is filled before the 3d orbital because it has lower energy.
The 4s orbital is closer to the nucleus, which results in a lower energy level compared to the 3d orbital. This means that the 4s orbital can accommodate electrons before the 3d orbital.