Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Electron Shells
Electron shells are the regions around an atom's nucleus where electrons are likely to be found. Each shell is associated with a principal quantum number (n), which indicates its energy level. The first shell (n=1) can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, the second (n=2) can hold 8, and this pattern continues with increasing energy levels.
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Subshells
Subshells are divisions within electron shells that define the shape and orientation of the electron cloud. Each shell can contain one or more subshells, designated by the letters s, p, d, and f. The number of subshells in a shell corresponds to the principal quantum number, with n=1 having 1 subshell (s), n=2 having 2 subshells (s and p), and so forth.
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Quantum Numbers
Quantum numbers are numerical values that describe the unique quantum state of an electron in an atom. The principal quantum number (n) indicates the shell, while the azimuthal quantum number (l) defines the subshell. For example, in the third shell (n=3), there are three subshells (l=0 for s, l=1 for p, l=2 for d), while the fourth shell (n=4) has four subshells (s, p, d, f).
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