Question

The orbitals are called degenerate when
(a) they have the same wave functions
(b) they have the same wave functions but different energies
(c) they have different wave functions but same energy
(d) they have the same energy

Answer 1

c) they have different wave functions but same energy

Answer 2

The correct option is d.

• Degenerate orbitals are defined as those atomic orbitals which possess the same energy.
• We know that an atom has four atomic orbitals s, p, d, and f.
• The p orbital has three different orbitals px, py, and pz. All these orbitals have similar energy that belongs to the same orbital p, so these are called degenerate orbitals.
• Thus degenerate orbitals have the same energy.