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Higher probability of finding an electron at a given position, the larger the?

A) Orbital
B) Energy Level
C) Quantum Number
D) Atomic Mass

User Jameh
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The size of the principal quantum number (C) correlates with a higher probability of finding an electron at a given position within an atom, as it defines the energy level of the orbital.

Step-by-step explanation:

The higher the probability of finding an electron at a given position, the larger the principal quantum number (C). The principal quantum number, denoted as n, defines the energy level of the orbital in which the electron is most probably located. As the value of n increases, the size of the orbital increases, indicating a higher probability of finding an electron at a greater distance from the nucleus. The atomic structure and the energy of the orbitals are intrinsically related to the quantum number. In general, electrons fill lower energy orbitals first according to the Aufbau principle, and as they move to orbitals with higher n values, the energy associated with those orbitals increases, leading to a higher probability of finding an electron there.

User Ace Caserya
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