Question

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ORBITALS IN AN f SUBLEVEL IS :

A) 1
B) 3
C) 5
D) 7

Answer 1

The f sublevel consists of 7 orbitals, which is the correct answer to the provided multiple-choice question.

Step-by-step explanation:

The total number of orbitals in an f sublevel is 7. In quantum mechanics, the f orbital corresponds to the third azimuthal quantum number, which is represented by ℓ = 3.

For any given ℓ value, there can be 2ℓ + 1 orbitals. Therefore, for f orbitals where ℓ = 3, the possible mℓ values are -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, and +3, leading to a total of seven different orbital shapes. Each orbital can accommodate two electrons, meaning the f sublevel can hold a maximum of 14 electrons in total.