Which one of the following electronic configurations corresponds to an atomic ground state? A)1s² 2s¹ 2p⁶ B)1s¹ 2s¹ 2p¹ C)1s¹2s² 3p¹ D)1s² 2s² 2p¹ E)1s¹ 2s² 2p¹

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The electronic configuration for the ground state of an atom should have the lowest energy configuration, which means that all the electrons should be in the lowest possible energy levels. Option D has all the electrons in the lowest available energy levels, with the first two electrons in the 1s orbital, the next two electrons in the 2s orbital, and the remaining four electrons in the 2p orbital. This arrangement gives the atom the lowest possible energy and hence corresponds to the ground state.

Which One of the Following Electronic Configurations Corresponds to an Atomic