Multiple Choice
Which statement is true of the atom shown in the diagram, which has 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons?
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2. Atoms & Elements
The Atom
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Which of the following best describes the ground state of an atom?
A
The state in which the atom has lost all of its electrons
B
The lowest energy state in which all electrons occupy the lowest available energy levels
C
A state where the nucleus contains the maximum number of protons
D
A state in which one or more electrons have moved to higher energy levels
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that the ground state of an atom refers to the arrangement of electrons when the atom is at its lowest possible energy.
Recall that electrons occupy energy levels or orbitals around the nucleus, and the ground state means all electrons are in the lowest energy orbitals available.
Recognize that losing all electrons would mean the atom is ionized, not in its ground state.
Note that the number of protons in the nucleus defines the element but does not change in different states of the atom.
Identify that excited states occur when one or more electrons have absorbed energy and moved to higher energy levels, which is different from the ground state.
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