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Quizzes > Science > Chemistry

Test Your Knowledge: Excited vs Ground State Electron Configuration

Think you can master the ground state vs excited electron configurations?

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art showing electron shells and orbitals highlighting ground vs excited state quiz on teal background

Ready to elevate your chemistry prowess? Dive into our free excited state of electron configuration quiz to explore how electrons jump from the ground state electron configuration to higher shells. In this engaging electron configuration excited state test, you'll compare ground state electron configuration vs excited patterns and strengthen your atomic insights. Tackle thought-provoking electron configuration questions and build on your knowledge after taking an atomic structure quiz . Each question reveals tips for spotting excited arrangements and deepens your quantum insights. Embrace the challenge - start the quiz now and watch your mastery soar!

What defines an excited state of an atom's electron configuration?
All electrons occupy the lowest available orbitals
Electrons are arranged to minimize electron-electron repulsions
All orbitals of a given energy level are half-filled
An electron is in a higher energy orbital than in the ground state
An excited state occurs when one or more electrons absorb energy and occupy orbitals of higher energy than in the ground state. This configuration has more energy than the lowest possible (ground) state. Excited states are typically unstable and electrons eventually return to lower energy levels, emitting photons. Learn more.
Which process commonly promotes an atom to an excited state?
Absorption of a photon
Spontaneous splitting of nuclei
Ground state stabilization
Emission of a photon
Atoms reach excited states primarily by absorbing photons whose energy matches the gap between occupied and higher energy orbitals. Emission of photons indicates a return to a lower energy state, not promotion. Nuclear processes are unrelated to electronic excitations. More details.
Which of the following is an excited electron configuration of carbon?
1s2 2s2 2p1 3s1
1s2 2s1 2p3
1s2 2s2 2p2
1s2 2s2 2p3
The ground state of carbon is 1s2 2s2 2p2. In the excited configuration 1s2 2s1 2p3 one electron is promoted from the 2s to the 2p orbital. This higher energy arrangement is less stable and will eventually relax back to the ground state. Source.
What is the ground state electron configuration of oxygen?
1s2 2s1 2p3
1s2 2s2 2p4
1s2 2s2 2p5
1s2 2s2 2p3
Oxygen has 8 electrons that fill the orbitals following the Aufbau principle as 1s2 2s2 2p4. This arrangement minimizes energy and adheres to Hund's rule by placing unpaired electrons in separate p orbitals first. Any other configuration either miscounts electrons or violates these principles. Source.
What is the ground state electron configuration of neon?
1s2 2s2 2p5
1s2 2s2 2p6
1s2 2s1 2p6
1s2 2s2 3s2
Neon has 10 electrons, which fill orbitals up to the 2p subshell according to the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and the Pauli exclusion principle. This gives the configuration 1s2 2s2 2p6, a closed shell that is especially stable. Any deviation would misrepresent the electron count or energy ordering. Learn more.
According to Hund's rule, how do electrons occupy degenerate orbitals in the ground state?
Paired electrons in one orbital before moving to the next
One electron per orbital with parallel spins before pairing
Electrons fill higher energy orbitals before lower ones
Electrons avoid orbitals with same spin
Hund's rule states that electrons will singly occupy degenerate orbitals with parallel spins before any pairing occurs. This arrangement reduces electron-electron repulsion and results in a lower energy configuration. It is essential for correctly predicting ground state term symbols. Learn more.
Which principle states that no two electrons in the same atom can have identical sets of quantum numbers?
Heisenberg uncertainty principle
Hund's rule
Pauli exclusion principle
Aufbau principle
The Pauli exclusion principle prohibits two electrons in one atom from sharing the same set of four quantum numbers (n, l, m_l, m_s). This rule explains why electrons pair with opposite spins in orbitals. It is fundamental to understanding electron configurations. Learn more.
What occurs when an excited electron in an atom returns to a lower energy level?
The atom undergoes fission
A photon is emitted
A photon is absorbed
The nucleus rearranges
When an excited electron drops to a lower energy orbital, the energy difference is released as a photon. This emission process is the basis for atomic emission spectra. Absorption is the opposite process where energy is taken up. Atomic fission and nuclear rearrangement are unrelated to electronic transitions. Source.
Which of the following electron configurations represents an excited state of sodium?
[Ne] 2p6 3s1
[Ne] 3s2
[Ne] 3s1
[Ne] 3p1
Neutral sodium has a ground state configuration of [Ne] 3s1. When the 3s electron absorbs energy it can be promoted to the 3p orbital, giving [Ne] 3p1 as an excited state. Configurations like 3s2 are not possible for Na without adding an extra electron. Source.
In the excited state configuration 1s2 2s1 2p2 of boron, how many electrons have been promoted relative to the ground state?
Three
One
Zero
Two
The ground state of boron is 1s2 2s2 2p1. In the excited state 1s2 2s1 2p2, one electron from the 2s orbital has been promoted to the 2p orbital. This single promotion increases the energy relative to the ground state. Learn more.
Which configuration represents the first excited state of lithium?
[He] 2s1
[He] 3s1
[He] 2p1
[He] 1s2
Lithium's ground state is [He] 2s1. The first excited state occurs when that electron is promoted to the 2p orbital, yielding [He] 2p1. Promotion to 3s is a higher excited state. Source.
Chromium exhibits an exception to the Aufbau principle. What is its ground state configuration?
[Ar] 3d4 4s2
[Ar] 4s2 4p1
[Ar] 3d5 4s1
[Ar] 3d3 4s2
Chromium's ground state configuration is [Ar] 3d5 4s1 due to the extra stability of a half-filled d subshell. The configuration [Ar] 3d4 4s2 would follow the simple Aufbau order but does not represent the lowest energy arrangement. Source.
Copper also shows an Aufbau exception. Which explanation accounts for its ground state configuration?
Hund's rule forces a single 4s electron
Electron-electron repulsion is minimized by s pairing
The 4s orbital is higher in energy than the 3d
A filled d subshell is more stable than a filled s subshell
Copper adopts [Ar] 3d10 4s1 in its ground state because a completely filled 3d subshell provides extra stability. This outweighs the benefit of a filled 4s orbital. Simple electron-electron repulsion arguments do not fully capture this effect. More info.
According to the Aufbau principle, which orbital is filled immediately after 3p in neutral atoms?
2f
3d
4s
4p
The Aufbau filling order places the 4s orbital at slightly lower energy than the 3d subshell in neutral atoms, so 4s is filled immediately after 3p. Only after 4s is occupied does the system begin to fill 3d. Learn more.
Which concept explains why excited electrons eventually return to the ground state emitting photons?
Aufbau principle fulfillment
Pauli exclusion enforcement
Hund's rule rearrangement
Energy minimization by electron relaxation
An excited atom will relax to the lowest energy configuration available (the ground state), releasing the excess energy as photons. This energy minimization drives the emission process in atomic spectra. The other principles govern electron arrangement but do not directly cause de-excitation. Source.
Which excited state of helium is considered metastable due to spin-forbidden decay?
1s2 singlet state
1s1 3p1 singlet state
1s1 2p1 singlet state
1s1 2s1 triplet state
Helium's 1s1 2s1 triplet state (²³S) is metastable because decay to the singlet ground state requires a spin flip, which is quantum mechanically forbidden for electric dipole transitions. This gives the state a much longer lifetime. More info.
In hydrogen, a photon of wavelength 121.6 nm is emitted when an electron transitions from which excited state?
n=5 to n=3
n=4 to n=2
n=2 to n=1
n=3 to n=1
The Lyman-alpha line at 121.6 nm arises from the transition of an electron from the n=2 excited state down to the n=1 ground state in hydrogen. Transitions from higher levels (e.g., n=3 to 1) produce shorter wavelengths. Learn more.
Which electron transition in a multielectron atom is electric dipole forbidden based on selection rules?
3p ? 1s
3d ? 2p
4f ? 3d
3d ? 2d
Electric dipole transitions require a change in orbital angular momentum quantum number of ?l=±1. A 3d?2d transition has ?l=0 and is therefore forbidden. Allowed transitions include 3d?2p or 4f?3d (?l=±1). Source.
Why does the 4s orbital generally fill before the 3d orbital in neutral atoms?
Electron-electron repulsion is higher in 3d
Hund's rule dictates 4s filling before 3d
4s has a higher principal quantum number so fills first
Greater penetration of 4s leads to lower average energy
The 4s orbital penetrates closer to the nucleus than the 3d subshell, resulting in a lower average energy despite its higher principal quantum number. This energy ordering allows 4s to fill before 3d in neutral atoms. Learn more.
Which of the following is an excited state configuration of iron (Fe) from its ground state [Ar] 3d6 4s2?
[Ar] 3d7 4s1
[Ar] 3d5 4s2
[Ar] 4s2 4p6
[Ar] 3d6 4s2
An electron can be promoted from the 4s to the 3d orbital in Fe, giving [Ar] 3d7 4s1 as an excited state. The ground state remains [Ar] 3d6 4s2. Other configurations either miscount electrons or represent ground states of different elements. Source.
Which factor predominantly determines the ordering of excited state energies in many-electron atoms?
Electron-electron repulsion and shielding
Strong nuclear force
Gravitational interaction between electrons
Nuclear spin orientation
In many-electron atoms, shielding by inner electrons and electron-electron repulsion significantly influence the relative energies of excited orbitals. These interactions modify the effective nuclear charge felt by electrons. Nuclear spin, gravity, and the strong force are negligible for electronic energy levels. Learn more.
For the excited configuration 1s2 2s1 2p2 of boron, what are the principal (n) and angular momentum (l) quantum numbers of the electron in the 2p orbital?
n=2, l=1
n=2, l=0
n=1, l=0
n=3, l=1
A p orbital has angular momentum quantum number l=1 and the principal quantum number n equals the shell number, here n=2. Thus the 2p electron is described by (n=2, l=1). Source.
What spectroscopic term symbol describes a single p electron in an excited state?
2P
2S
3P
1D
A single p electron configuration yields a doublet term (multiplicity = 2S+1 = 2) and total orbital angular momentum L corresponding to P, giving the term symbol 2P. Other symbols correspond to different multiplicities or orbitals. Learn more.
Which emission series in hydrogen corresponds to electron transitions that end at n=2?
Balmer series
Lyman series
Paschen series
Brackett series
Hydrogen's Balmer series results from electronic transitions from higher excited states (n?3) down to n=2, producing visible wavelengths. The Lyman series ends at n=1 in the ultraviolet range. Paschen ends at n=3 (infrared), and Brackett ends at n=4. Source.
What is the correct term symbol for the metastable triplet state of helium with configuration 1s1 2s1?
2^1S0
1^1S0
2^3S1
1^3S1
The metastable triplet state of helium (one electron in 1s, one in 2s with parallel spins) has spin multiplicity 2S+1=3, orbital angular momentum L=0 (S), and total J=S=1, giving the term symbol 2^3S1. Source.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Excited State Concepts -

    Grasp the principles behind the excited state of electron configuration and how it contrasts with the ground state.

  2. Differentiate Ground vs Excited Configurations -

    Learn to distinguish ground state electron configuration vs excited arrangements by analyzing electron distributions.

  3. Identify Electron Promotions -

    Recognize orbital transitions and electron promotions that lead to various excited state configurations.

  4. Apply Quantum Rules -

    Use the Aufbau principle, Pauli exclusion principle, and Hund's rule to predict valid excited state electron configurations.

  5. Analyze Configuration Scenarios -

    Evaluate sample electron configurations to determine whether they represent ground states or excited states.

  6. Test Your Mastery -

    Reinforce your understanding by completing the excited state electron configuration quiz and reviewing detailed explanations.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Ground vs Excited State Fundamentals -

    Review how the ground state electron configuration is the lowest-energy arrangement of electrons (source: MIT OpenCourseWare). When a photon is absorbed, an electron jumps to a higher orbital, creating an excited state of electron configuration that's less stable. Understanding this shift is key to mastering ground state electron configuration vs excited scenarios.

  2. Aufbau Principle and Orbital Capacity -

    Use the formula 2n² (where n is the principal quantum number) to determine how many electrons each shell holds (source: University of California, Davis). Follow the n + ℓ rule to fill orbitals from lowest to highest energy, noting classic exceptions in Cr (3d❵4s¹) and Cu (3d¹❰4s¹). These patterns underpin accurate ground state electron configuration predictions.

  3. Energy of Electron Transitions -

    Apply the Rydberg equation ΔE = R_H(1/n₝² - 1/n₂²) to calculate the energy absorbed or emitted when electrons jump between levels (source: NIST). Remember E = hν ties photon energy to frequency, so higher jumps require UV or visible light. Practicing these calculations will solidify your grasp of the excited state electron configuration quiz concepts.

  4. Spotting Valid Excited Configurations -

    Not every orbital vacancy means a valid excited state - only single or paired electrons promoted to the next subshell create acceptable excited configurations (source: Royal Society of Chemistry). For example, the carbon excited state 1s²2s¹2p³ is valid versus impossible patterns like 1s²2s²2p². Training yourself to recognize these will boost accuracy on an electron configuration excited state test.

  5. Mnemonic Tricks for Electron Order -

    Use the diagonal rule chart or memory phrase "1s before 2s, 2s before 2p" to recall filling order instantly (source: Purdue University Chemistry). Pair this with the catchy "Don't Be Frightened of Fire" for d-block filling (d after f). These fun strategies make ground state electron configuration vs excited examples easier and help you ace every quiz question.

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