Which orbital holds 6 electrons at maximum occupancy?

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Multiple Choice

Which orbital holds 6 electrons at maximum occupancy?

Explanation:
Occupancy limits for orbitals come from how many distinct orbitals exist in each subshell. An s subshell has one orbital, so it can hold 2 electrons. A p subshell has three degenerate orbitals (px, py, pz); each can hold 2 electrons, giving a total of 6. A d subshell has five orbitals (total 10), and an f subshell has seven orbitals (total 14). Therefore, the maximum occupancy of 6 electrons is achieved by the p subshell, which can accommodate six electrons in total.

Occupancy limits for orbitals come from how many distinct orbitals exist in each subshell. An s subshell has one orbital, so it can hold 2 electrons. A p subshell has three degenerate orbitals (px, py, pz); each can hold 2 electrons, giving a total of 6. A d subshell has five orbitals (total 10), and an f subshell has seven orbitals (total 14). Therefore, the maximum occupancy of 6 electrons is achieved by the p subshell, which can accommodate six electrons in total.

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