Question

For each of the following orbitals, indicate how many electrons can fit into each orbital?

1. s orbitals ----------electrons.
2. p orbitals-----------electrons.
3. d orbitals-----------electrons.
4. f orbitals------------electrons.

Answer 1

s orbitals hold 2 electrons, p orbitals hold 6 electrons, d orbitals hold 10 electrons, and f orbitals hold 14 electrons, following the Pauli Exclusion Principle and Hund's rules for electron arrangement.

Step-by-step explanation:

The various types of atomic orbitals have a specific capacity for hosting electrons. This capacity is dictated by the Pauli Exclusion Principle and is essential for determining an atom's electron configuration. Here is a breakdown of the electron capacity for each type of orbital:

• s orbitals can fit 2 electrons.
• p orbitals can fit 6 electrons in total, as they have three orbitals with 2 electrons in each.
• d orbitals can fit 10 electrons in total, as they have five orbitals with 2 electrons in each.
• f orbitals can fit 14 electrons in total, as they have seven orbitals with 2 electrons in each.

As electrons are added to orbitals, they follow Hund's rules, which dictate that each orbital in a subshell gets one electron before any orbital is filled with a second electron, and all electrons in singly occupied orbitals have the same spin. When an orbital is doubly occupied, the two electrons will have opposite spins.