Question icon
Physical Chemistry

What is the maximum numbers of electrons that can be associated with the following set of quantum numbers?

n = 3, l = 1 and m = − 1.

Profile image of athira
12 Years agoGrade
Answers icon

2 Answers

Profile image of siddharth gupta
12 Years ago
although using pauli’s exclusion principle the correct answer should be 2,as these electrons will have a unique set of 3,1,-1,1/2 and 3,1,-1,-1/2. However an answer infinity is also possible for the given question as there are several elements having same pair of electrons in abundance.
Profile image of Manas Satish Bedmutha
12 Years ago
n = 3, Main shell = 3rd
l = 1, Subshell is p which has px, py, pz as suborbitals of which m=-1 can be any one
Using Pauli’s exclusion principle, each pi will have 2 electrons of spin +1/2 or – ½.
Hence for a given atom 2 electrons have this no. possible.
But, infinity is also possible, as for many atoms of diffnt. elements may have same quantum no.s