Final answer:
Degenerate energies represent different quantum states that have the same energy and do not count as different energy levels. In quantum mechanics, these occur in systems like hydrogen atoms or one-electron ions, and they are considered the same energy level because they share the same energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
No, degenerate energies do not count as different energy levels. In quantum mechanics, degenerate energies refer to the phenomenon where two or more different quantum states of a quantum system have the same energy level. This can occur, for example, in the case of electron orbitals in a hydrogen atom or a one-electron ion, where all orbitals with the same principal quantum number (n) have identical energies and are thus degenerate. In multi-electron atoms, electron-electron interactions usually lift this degeneracy, leading to split energy levels, but within a single subshell, degeneracy may still be present. These degenerate states are considered the same energy level because they share the same energy value, despite being different states.