Carbon can exist in a ground electronic state and in an excited electronic state
CHEMISTRY · Multi-part · AP · Chemistry · Atomic Structure and Properties · Atomic Structure and Properties
Problem
Carbon can exist in a ground electronic state and in an excited electronic state. Two possible configurations are shown below.
Ground state: 1s² 2s² 2p²
Excited state: 1s² 2s¹ 2p³
Assume that neither state undergoes further excitation during the PES experiment.
(a) Predict and sketch a qualitative PES spectrum for a gaseous sample of ground-state carbon. Label each peak with the corresponding subshell and use peak heights proportional to electron counts.
(b) Predict and sketch a qualitative PES spectrum for a gaseous sample of the excited state of carbon described above. Use the same axes and scale you used in part (a).
(c) Compare the two spectra you sketched. Explain fully how the redistribution of electrons from the 2s to the 2p subshell alters (i) the heights of the relevant peaks and (ii) the relative binding energies of the 2s and 2p electrons.