Write the ground state electron configuration for a neutral carbon atom, and for an excited state of carbon?
1 Answer
Feb 22, 2016
Ground state neutral carbon atom:
Excited state carbon atom:
Explanation:
A neutral carbon atom has atomic number 6, with 6 protons and 6 electrons. The ground state electron configuration for carbon is
When a carbon atom becomes excited by absorbing energy, one of its
This is unstable, and the excited electron will drop back down to the
The diagram below shows how a carbon atom in its ground state can be excited by the addition of energy.