The Chemistry of Art > 3. Electrons in the Atom > Electrons in Their Ground-State Electron Configurations >
Identify that electrons in their ground-state electron configurations occupy the lowest energy shells, subshells and orbitals available to them and explain why they are able to jump to higher energy levels when excited
- Electrons are placed in orbitals starting with the lowest energy orbital first
- The order in which orbitals fill depends upon their precise energy level
Example: Sodium
Na = 11 Electrons
- Ground state
- First two electrons in 1s orbital
- Next two located in the 2s orbital
- Next six located in the three orbitals of the 2p subshell
Eleventh electron located in the 3s subshell
- Excited state
- Any state different from the ground state
Movement of electrons across increasing energy levels:
- Absorption of energy by an atom leads to change of electron configuration as a valence electron is promoted to a higher energy orbital
- Due to absorption of a precise quanta of energy (as above)