Question

What rules do molecular orbitals and atomic orbitals both obey?

A) Hund's Rule
B) Pauli Exclusion Principle
C) Aufbau Principle
D) All of the Above

Answer 1

Molecular orbitals and atomic orbitals both follow the Aufbau Principle, Hund's Rule, and the Pauli Exclusion Principle. These rules guide the distribution of electrons within atoms and molecules, defining the occupation and spin of electrons in orbitals.

Step-by-step explanation:

The molecular orbitals and atomic orbitals both obey several rules that determine how electrons are distributed in atoms and molecules. Those rules are the Aufbau Principle, Hund's Rule, and the Pauli Exclusion Principle. Here's how each rule applies:

• Aufbau Principle: Electrons fill the lowest-energy orbitals first, starting with the simplest (1s) and moving on to higher energy levels in a specific order.
• Hund's Rule: When electrons occupy orbitals of equal energy, they populate each orbital singly before any orbital is doubly occupied, and all electrons in singly occupied orbitals have the same spin direction.
• Pauli Exclusion Principle: No two electrons can have the same set of four quantum numbers, meaning two electrons inhabiting the same orbital must have opposite spins.