Question

An atomic orbital has n = 3. What are the possible values of L and ml?

Answer 1

Possible values, l = 0 (s), 1 (p) and m = 0 (for s), - 1, 0, + 1 (for p).

Solution: n is shell of an atom. If value of n is 3.

→ l = n - 1 → l = 3 - 1 → l = 2

This means that there are gonna be 2 subshells naming s and p where s symbolises 0 and p symbolises 1.

→ m = 2l + 1

If the value of l is 0 i.e., s subshell then,

→ m = 0

If the value of l is 1 i.e., p subshell then,

→ m = 2(1) + 1 → m = 3

Hence, p subshell will have 3 orbitals, naming - 1, 0 and + 1.