Quick question about orbital angular momentum

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
1 reply · 3K views
Linus Pauling
Messages
187
Reaction score
0
I was asked for the energy and orbital angular momentum of a hydrogen atom in the 6f state. Thus, with n = 6 I found E to be -0.378, a straightforward calculation.

I am confused about L, though. L = sqrt[l(l+1)]. Since n = 6, I thought l = n-1, so L would be sqrt(30)*h-bar, but the answer is sqrt(12)*h-bar, so l must be 3. Why?
 
Physics news on Phys.org