Final answer:
The magnetic quantum number (
) spans from -l to l, and for a given value of n,
ranges from -n to n, accurately describing the allowed values of
, thus the correct option is c)
can take any integer value from - l to l; for n,
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 (
) specifies the orientation of an atomic orbital in space.
For a given value of l, the allowed values
range from -l to l. This is because
can take any integer value within this range, representing the different orientations of the orbital.
For a given value of n, the allowed values
similarly range from -n to n. The restriction on
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
would be -2, -1, 0, 1, 2. If n = 3, the allowed values of
would be -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3. Therefore, option c) accurately describes the allowed values of
for a given l and n.