Paired vs Parallel electrons

[Sydney Pell 2E]

What is the difference between when electrons are paired vs parallel? How can you determine this?

[Shivam Rana 1D]

Paired e- are electrons that occupy the same orbital in a subhsell with opposite spins. Electrons that independently occupy multiple orbitals in a subshell with the same spin are parallel.

[Amanda Lin 2I]

Paired electrons have opposite spins while parallel electrons have the same spin.

[Amy Kumar 1I]

Electrons occupy orbital individually first so the spins are parallel. Once the available orbitals have been filled, they start pairing up, which is where the opposite spins come from.

[Sydney Pell 2E]

Thanks! So to clarify, when filling up a subshell, one electron will be in each orbital (parallel to each other) until each orbital is occupied and then after that, the electrons will start pairing up?

[jisulee1C]

^^yes. electrons will fill up each orbital until each orbital is occupied and then they will start to pair up. this is because the electrons will have electron to electron repulsion if they are in the same orbital which is not favorable.