The ground state of lithium. Ignoring electron–electron repulsion, construct the ground state of lithium (Z = 3). Start with a spatial wave function, analogous to Equation 5.41, but remember that only two electrons can occupy the hydrogenic ground state; the third goes to Ψ₂₀₀. What is the energy of this state? Now tack on the spin, and antisymmetrize (if you get stuck, refer back to Problem 5.10). What’s the degeneracy of the ground state?

Equation 5.41

Votr1, F2) = U100(11)100(12) = 8 3 -2(+r2)/a (5.41)