Classify each of the following as ground state, excited state, or impossible electronic configurations.
-1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s¹3d¹⁰4p¹

Question

Classify each of the following as ground state, excited state, or impossible electronic configurations. -1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s¹3d¹⁰4p¹

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first electrons in each sublevel (1s, 2s, and 3s) are in the ground state. However, the electron configuration jumps to the first excited state once we reach 2p, with one electron occupying the 2p sublevel instead of the 2s sublevel. This pattern of jumping to the excited state continues for the rest of the electron configuration. Therefore, the electron configuration is an excited state configuration.

Classify Each of the Following as Ground State, Excited State