Which of the following electron configurations is not possible for an atom in an excited state? A)1 s ²2 s ²2 p ⁶3 s ²3 p ⁶3 d ¹⁰4 s ¹4 p ¹ B)1 s ²2 s ²2 p ⁶3 s ¹3 p ⁵ C)1 s ²2 s ²2 p ⁶3 s ²3 p ²3 d ² D)1 s ²2 s ²2 p ⁶3 s ²3 p ⁶3 d ¹⁰4 s ² E)1 s ²2 s ²2 p ⁶3 s ²3 p ⁶3 d ¹⁰4 s ¹⁴ p ³

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Only choice D has an electron configuration that violates the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons fill orbitals in order of increasing energy. Specifically, the configuration d ¹⁰4 violates this principle because it places an electron in the 110 orbital before filling the 100 and 101 orbitals. All of the other choices have electron configurations that adhere to the Aufbau principle.

Which of the Following Electron Configurations Is Not Possible for an Atom