How many orbitals are in the following sublevels?
a. ls
b. 5s
c. 4d
d. 4f
e. 7s
f. 3p
The correct answer and explanation is:
Here is the number of orbitals in each of the sublevels:
a. 1s: There is 1 orbital. The “s” sublevel can only hold one orbital, which can accommodate two electrons.
b. 5s: There is 1 orbital. Like all “s” sublevels, the 5s can hold only one orbital, with a maximum of two electrons.
c. 4d: There are 5 orbitals. The “d” sublevel consists of five orbitals, each of which can hold two electrons, so it can hold up to ten electrons in total.
d. 4f: There are 7 orbitals. The “f” sublevel has seven orbitals, and each orbital can hold two electrons. Therefore, the 4f sublevel can hold up to 14 electrons.
e. 7s: There is 1 orbital. The “s” sublevel, regardless of the principal energy level, only has one orbital, so 7s contains just one orbital that can hold two electrons.
f. 3p: There are 3 orbitals. The “p” sublevel always contains three orbitals, and each orbital can hold up to two electrons. Hence, the 3p sublevel can hold up to six electrons.
Explanation:
The number of orbitals in a sublevel is determined by the type of orbital (s, p, d, or f) and the principal quantum number (n). The number of orbitals in each type of sublevel is fixed:
- An “s” sublevel has only 1 orbital.
- A “p” sublevel has 3 orbitals.
- A “d” sublevel has 5 orbitals.
- An “f” sublevel has 7 orbitals.
These orbitals are regions around the nucleus where there is a high probability of finding an electron. The sublevel is named according to the angular momentum quantum number (l):
- l = 0 corresponds to “s” (1 orbital).
- l = 1 corresponds to “p” (3 orbitals).
- l = 2 corresponds to “d” (5 orbitals).
- l = 3 corresponds to “f” (7 orbitals).
Each orbital can hold two electrons with opposite spins, and the total number of electrons in a sublevel depends on the number of orbitals present.