Spin States

Spin States are the different energy levels that an atom can have. The amount of energy in each level is determined by the spin of the electron. The most common spin states are: ground state, excited state, and ionized state.

The ground state is the lowest energy level an atom can have. This is because all of the electrons are in their lowest possible orbital. When an atom is in its ground state, it is said to be “at rest” because it takes no effort to maintain this low energy level.

The excited state is a higher energy level than the ground state. This happens when one or more electrons are moved to a higher orbital. When an atom is in its excited state, it is said to be “excited” because it takes more effort to maintain this high energy level. An atom can only stay in its excited state for a short time before it falls back down to its ground state.

The ionized state is the highest energy level an atom can have. This happens when all of the electrons are removed from orbit around the nucleus (the central part of an atom). When an atom is ionized, it has no electrons and thus no charge; it becomes electrically neutral.