The ground state of helium is a term used to describe the lowest energy state that an atom or molecule can have. In the case of helium, it refers to the state where the two electrons are in their lowest possible energy levels, known as the 1s orbital.
The ground state of helium is important because it is the most stable and energetically favorable state for the atom. All other excited states have higher energy levels and are less stable, making the ground state the most commonly observed state in nature.
The ground state of helium has an electron configuration of 1s2, meaning that both of its electrons are in the 1s orbital. This arrangement is the most stable for helium, as it follows the rules of the Aufbau principle and Pauli exclusion principle.
The energy of the ground state of helium is -79.005 eV (electron volts), which is the energy required to completely remove one of the electrons from the atom. This energy is relatively low compared to other elements, making helium a very stable and unreactive gas.
The ground state of helium differs from its excited states in terms of energy levels. Excited states have higher energy levels and are less stable than the ground state. This means that excited helium atoms are more likely to undergo reactions or emit light as they try to return to their ground state.