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Author Topic: Quantum Numbers Help  (Read 546 times)
veggiecake
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« on: November 19, 2008, 07:06:39 PM »

I'll be given a question similar to
'What are the four quantum numbers for the final electron added in a Palladium atom?'

I understand how to get n, but i'm not sure how to get L, m (sub) L, and m (sub) s.

Can anyone help?

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« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2008, 08:03:31 PM »

l stands for the subshell or the orbital type, Pd 's "last" electron is in the d type subshell (noted by l = 3)

ml is the orbital in the subshell, it is arbitrary which one you pick because they are degenerate ,

you can choose from 5 orbitals (d xy  d z2 etc) 

the values of ml are -3, -2 , -1, 0, 0 , 1, 2 ,3 (each of these represent one of the five orbitals)

you just pick one because there is no way to say which orbital the electron is in.

the last , ms is the spin, and you can pick either one 1/2 or -1/2
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veggiecake
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« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2008, 08:08:49 PM »

so, technically, there is no one correct answer, there are 20, because you just pick, mL and mS? theres no concept behind it just pick one you like?
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« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2008, 08:49:30 PM »

that is correct, however if you do assign ml and ms to one electron you cannot sign it to another

or so says the pauli exclusion principle
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