Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Electron energy levels refer to specific regions or shells around an atom's nucleus where electrons can be found. These energy levels determine the amount of energy an electron possesses.
Related terms
Valence Electrons: Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom. They are involved in chemical bonding and determine the reactivity of an element.
Excited State: Excited state refers to when an electron absorbs energy and moves to a higher energy level.
Ground State: Ground state is the lowest possible energy state of an electron within an atom's electron energy levels.