Final answer:
The third shell (n=3) contains a total of 9 orbitals, with the orbitals distributed across the 3s, 3p, and 3d subshells. The formula to determine the number of orbitals in any shell is n².
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks how many orbitals are present in the third shell (n=3) of an atom. According to quantum mechanics and the concept of electron configurations, the number of orbitals in any shell n is given by the formula n². Therefore, for the third shell where n=3, the total number of orbitals would be 3², which is 9 orbitals.
In the third shell, these orbitals are distributed across three subshells, which are the 3s, 3p, and 3d subshells. The 3s subshell has 1 orbital, the 3p subshell has 3 orbitals, and the 3d subshell has 5 orbitals. Adding these up (1+3+5), we confirm that there are 9 orbitals in total in the third shell.
Hence, the correct answer to the question "How many orbitals are there in the third shell (n=3)?" is C) 9 orbitals.