Final answer:
Crystal field splitting results in high-spin or low-spin configurations depending on the relative magnitude of the crystal field splitting energy (Δ) and the spin-pairing energy (P), with strong-field ligands favoring low-spin and weak-field ligands favoring high-spin configurations.
Step-by-step explanation:
When there are electrons with opposite spins present in the orbitals of ligands and metal atoms during the crystal field splitting, the electrons in the d orbitals of the metal can be arranged in different ways depending on the crystal field splitting energy (Δ) relative to the spin-pairing energy (P).
If Δ is less than P, it results in a high-spin configuration where electrons will populate the higher-energy eg orbitals to maintain unpaired spins. Conversely, if the Δ is greater than P, a low-spin configuration is favored, with electrons pairing up in the lower-energy t2g orbitals before any occupy the eg orbitals.