Writing Electron Configuration for Excited element [ENDORSED]

[Aliza Ajmal 1D]

How do you write the electron configuration for an excited atom? Is it any different from how you would write the electron configuration of an atom in its ground state?

[Chem_Mod]

Yes, the ground state electrons are promoted to higher energy orbitals. However, you would need to be given information about the system to know where these electrons would be promoted. This course will not test beyond ground states for neutral atoms and their ions.

[Meredith Steinberg 2E]

Writing the electron configuration for an excited atom IS different than writing it in its ground state. When electron is in an excited state, it's in a higher energy level than its normal ground state. Therefore, when writing the electron configuration, you can put electrons in higher energy levels to display their excited state. There are many ways to display the excited state of an electron but only one electron configuration for the ground state.