Excited vs. Ground

[Jasmine Herring 3G]

Can someone explain the difference between excited and ground state and how that relates to ions?

[feizahteope2J]

The ground state is the lowest energy state an electron can occupy in an atom and an excited state is a higher energy state. When an atom absorbs energy, electrons can move to higher energy levels, creating an excited state. Ions are atoms that have gained or lost electrons, leading to a different electron configuration. Excited states and ionization are related as both involve changes in the arrangement of electrons, either by absorbing energy (excited state) or losing/gaining electrons (ions).