94.2k views
4 votes
For a given value of l , what are the allowed values of m_l ? What are the allowed values of m_l for a given value of n ? Give an example in each case.

a) m_l can take any integer value from - l to l ; for n , m_l can take any integer value from - n to n .

b) m_l can take any integer value from 0 to l ; for n , m_l can take any integer value from 0 to n .

c) m_l can take any integer value from - l to l ; for n , m_l can take any integer value from - n to n .

d) m_l can take any integer value from 0 to l ; for n , m_l can take any integer value from - n to n .

User Karansys
by
8.0k points

2 Answers

6 votes

Final answer:

The magnetic quantum number (
\(m_l\)) spans from -l to l, and for a given value of n,
\(m_l\) ranges from -n to n, accurately describing the allowed values of
\(m_l\), thus the correct option is c)
m_l can take any integer value from - l to l; for n,
m_l can take any integer value from - n to n.

Step-by-step explanation:

In quantum mechanics, the quantum numbers n and l represent the principal and azimuthal quantum numbers, respectively. The magnetic quantum number (
\(m_l\)) specifies the orientation of an atomic orbital in space.

For a given value of l, the allowed values
\(m_l\) range from -l to l. This is because
\(m_l\) can take any integer value within this range, representing the different orientations of the orbital.

For a given value of n, the allowed values
\(m_l\) similarly range from -n to n. The restriction on
\(m_l\) is based on the principal quantum number n, which determines the main energy level of the electron.

For example, if l = 2, the allowed values of
\(m_l\) would be -2, -1, 0, 1, 2. If n = 3, the allowed values of
\(m_l\) would be -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3. Therefore, option c) accurately describes the allowed values of
\(m_l\) for a given l and n.

User James Bateson
by
8.7k points
5 votes

Final Answer:

Final Answer:

c)
(m_l\) can take any integer value from
\(-l\) to
\(l\); for (n),
\(m_l\) can take any integer value from (-n) to (n).

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement is c). For a given value of (l), the magnetic quantum number
\(m_l\) can take any integer value from
\(-l\) to
\(l\). This is a consequence of the fact that the magnetic quantum number represents the orientation of the orbital angular momentum with respect to a chosen axis. Since there are
\(2l+1\) possible values for
\(m_l\), ranging from
\(-l\) to
\(l\), this aligns with the known properties of angular momentum in quantum mechanics.

For a given value of \(n\), the principal quantum number,
\(m_l\) can take any integer value from
\(-n\) to (n\). The principal quantum number dictates the energy level of an electron in an atom, and the range of
\(m_l\) is determined by the azimuthal quantum number
(\(l\)). The range of
\(m_l\) is broader when considering a higher energy level
(\(n\)), as (n) is directly related to the size of the electron's orbit.

In summary, the magnetic quantum number
\(m_l\) varies based on the angular momentum quantum number
\(l\) and has a range from
\(-l\) to
\(l\). For a given principal quantum number (n),
\(m_l\) has a range from
\(-n\) to (n)

User Arkascha
by
7.7k points