What is [Ar] 3d^5 4s^1 4p^3 ?

For an atom in excited state? I've searched high and low, and I am not getting on too well with electron configuration at the moment... Is it Cr^-3? I am rather lost in all this!

2012-09-25T13:35:36Z

It is in excited state. I am not sure what it means exactly (hence why I ask), but it does affect the electron configuration, and I figured the only way it could, would be if it was charged. Cobalt has an electron configuration of [Ar] 3d^7 4s^2, and is not in excited state.

2012-09-25T14:39:49Z

Ahh, I think I get it a bit now :b I remembered something about excited state when we talked about ozone being affected by UV etc... Couldn't quite place it in this context. So it really is just as easy as counting when ever you have the electron configuration?

Anonymous2012-09-25T13:25:01Z

Favorite Answer

Ar + 5+1+3 = Co

how the heck did you come -3 it is not indicated to be anything but neutral


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yes you listed the ground state of Co

but electron(s) can get promoted - usually by shining the exact frequency of light on them rquired to make the transition

so the electons are in higher orbits - they will decay rapidly and release a photon typically

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yikes you are from land of Neil Bohr

Bohr atom: review

ground state 1s1
excited state (one of infitnie number) 97p1

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://astro.unl.edu/naap/hydrogen/graphics/bohr_transitions.png&imgrefurl=http://astro.unl.edu/naap/hydrogen/transitions.html&h=350&w=350&sz=30&tbnid=-CUew1t1hTo5qM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=90&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbohr%2Btransitions%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=bohr+transitions&usg=__dwiFJmb-9mc8x4QD5A0C6lMTACE=&docid=foH_vJI6sV2jWM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GyFiUNzqHOS8igL65oDQDQ&ved=0CDUQ9QEwBA&dur=915