Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct shorthand electron configuration for a sulfur (S) atom?
3
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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How many 6p orbitals exist in an atom?
A
5
B
1
C
6
D
3
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that for any principal energy level \( n \), the possible values of the azimuthal quantum number \( l \) range from 0 to \( n-1 \). For \( n = 6 \), the \( l \) values are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
The \( p \) orbitals correspond to \( l = 1 \). Each \( l \) value has \( 2l + 1 \) magnetic quantum number \( m_l \) values, which represent the number of orbitals for that subshell.
For \( l = 1 \), calculate the number of orbitals using the formula \( 2l + 1 \):
$$ 2 \times 1 + 1 = 3 $$
Therefore, there are 3 \( p \) orbitals in the 6th energy level (6p orbitals).
Each \( p \) orbital can hold 2 electrons with opposite spins, but the question only asks for the number of orbitals, which is 3.
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