Quantum Numbers Help

[veggiecake]

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?

[Chemistry Tutor]

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 , m_s is the spin, and you can pick either one 1/2 or -1/2

[veggiecake]

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?

[Chemistry Tutor]

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