1. Ground State Configuration
* Fluorine (F) has an atomic number of 9, meaning it has 9 electrons.
* The ground state electron configuration is: 1s² 2s² 2p⁵
2. Excited State
* In an excited state, one or more electrons are promoted to higher energy levels.
* The most likely excitation for fluorine involves promoting one of the 2p electrons to the 3s orbital.
3. Excited State Configuration
* The excited state configuration would be: 1s² 2s² 2p⁴ 3s¹
Important Notes:
* There are other possible excited state configurations, but this is the most likely and energetically favorable one.
* Excited states are temporary and the electrons will eventually return to their ground state, releasing energy in the process (often as light).
