Electron Designations: 5px, 7py, 6dxy

[viper2308]

Homework Statement

How many electrons in an atom can have the following designations?
5px
7py
6dxy

Homework Equations

None that I know of

The Attempt at a Solution

I know how to find the number of electrons in a 5p designation but the subscript x,y,z is throwing me off.

 

[Hunt_]

p is a subshell that has 3 different orbitals. They are designated p_x , p_y , and p_z because each one is aligned along a specific axis in space. Each orbital can hold up to two electrons. While 5p subshell can hold up to 6 electrons , 5px / 5py / 5pz orbital can contain 2 electrons at most. The same argument holds when working with different subshells such as s , d , or f. The difference is in the number of orbitals each subshell has. For instance , a d subshell can hold up to 10 electrons in its 5 distinct orbitals. d_xy is one of these orbitals and again can contain 2 electrons at most.

So, 2 electrons can have the designations 5px, 7py , or 6dxy.

 

[viper2308]

Thank you, I wish my teacher would have told me this.

 

[chemisttree]

The answer was in your book. Your teacher wanted you to read it and understand it.


Hunt, these are in the rules for homework help:

On helping with questions: Any and all assistance given to homework assignments or textbook style exercises should be given only after the questioner has shown some effort in solving the problem. If no attempt is made then the questioner should be asked to provide one before any assistance is given. Under no circumstances should complete solutions be provided to a questioner, whether or not an attempt has been made.

 

[Hunt_]

Thanks for the notice, chemisttree.

Wont happen again

 

[chemisttree]

I'm just jealous that someone like you wasn't around when I was taking chemistry...