A state in which an atom has a higher potential energy than it has in its ground state?

• A. Ground state
• B. Quantum theory
• C. Excited state
• D. Continuous spectrum

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that atoms have discrete energy states, and moving to a higher energy level increases the atom’s potential energy. When an atom absorbs energy, an electron can jump from the ground state (the lowest energy level) to a higher one. The configuration with the electron in that higher level is the excited state. This is why it has higher potential energy than in the ground state. The other options don’t describe a state with higher energy: the ground state is the lowest energy arrangement, quantum theory is just the framework used to understand these states, and a continuous spectrum describes the type of light emitted or absorbed—not a specific energy state of the atom.