Final answer:
An f sublevel can hold a maximum of 14 electrons, with each of its seven orbitals holding 2 electrons. This aligns with the quantum mechanical model where each orbital can contain 2 electrons and the f sublevel consists of seven orbitals. Option 3 is valid
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the electronic configuration within atoms, specifically the f sublevel, which is part of the quantum mechanical model of an atom. According to the quantum model, each sublevel is comprised of orbitals, and each orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons. The f sublevel is known to have seven orbitals due to its angular momentum quantum number, 'l', being equal to 3 (since f is the fourth type of orbital and counts start from s which is 0). Since each orbital holds 2 electrons, the calculation for the maximum capacity of electrons in an f sublevel would be 2(2*3 + 1) = 2(6 + 1) = 14. Therefore, an f sublevel can hold a maximum of 14 electrons, with only 2 electrons in each orbital.