## How do we determine the possible number of electrons when given ml?

Veronica Soliman 4H
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

### How do we determine the possible number of electrons when given ml?

Number 29 in chapter 2 asks to give the number of electrons when given a certain n, l, or ml value. Part b says n=4 l=2 and ml=-2.

I get that it would be 4d and without the ml value it would have 10 electrons, but the solutions manual says it only has 2 electrons and I was wondering how the ml would apply? Would we subtract 8 electrons from this?

Sona Hakobyan 3J
Posts: 45
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:25 am

### Re: How do we determine the possible number of electrons when given ml?

ml specifies a specific orbital. The D subshell itself has 5 orbitals (ml= -2, -1, 0, +1, +2) and therefore two electrons in each (10 total). However, the ml= -2 specifies that it is one of these 5 orbitals, which can only contain two electrons.

Veronica Soliman 4H
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

### Re: How do we determine the possible number of electrons when given ml?

Sona Hakobyan 3J wrote:ml specifies a specific orbital. The D subshell itself has 5 orbitals (ml= -2, -1, 0, +1, +2) and therefore two electrons in each (10 total). However, the ml= -2 specifies that it is one of these 5 orbitals, which can only contain two electrons.

Can you further explain this? Still confused.

Sona Hakobyan 3J
Posts: 45
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:25 am

### Re: How do we determine the possible number of electrons when given ml?

Veronica Soliman 4H wrote:
Sona Hakobyan 3J wrote:ml specifies a specific orbital. The D subshell itself has 5 orbitals (ml= -2, -1, 0, +1, +2) and therefore two electrons in each (10 total). However, the ml= -2 specifies that it is one of these 5 orbitals, which can only contain two electrons.

Can you further explain this? Still confused.

Sure! The ml specifies the orientation in space of an orbital of a given energy (n) and shape (l). This number divides the subshell into individual orbitals which hold the electrons. Each orbital can hold 2 electrons. So using the same logic, there are 10 electrons in 4d because there are 5 total orbitals, each of which hold 2 electrons. The number ml=-2 specifies one of the 5 orbitals. Thereby 1 orbital times 2 electrons per orbital = two electrons in total. No matter the value of ml for the d subshell (-2,-1,0,+1, +2), the electrons would be 2. This in unless the ms was also specified, then it would be one. Make sense?
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Veronica Soliman 4H
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

### Re: How do we determine the possible number of electrons when given ml?

Sona Hakobyan 3J wrote:
Veronica Soliman 4H wrote:
Sona Hakobyan 3J wrote:ml specifies a specific orbital. The D subshell itself has 5 orbitals (ml= -2, -1, 0, +1, +2) and therefore two electrons in each (10 total). However, the ml= -2 specifies that it is one of these 5 orbitals, which can only contain two electrons.

Can you further explain this? Still confused.

Sure! The ml specifies the orientation in space of an orbital of a given energy (n) and shape (l). This number divides the subshell into individual orbitals which hold the electrons. Each orbital can hold 2 electrons. So using the same logic, there are 10 electrons in 4d because there are 5 total orbitals, each of which hold 2 electrons. The number ml=-2 specifies one of the 5 orbitals. Thereby 1 orbital times 2 electrons per orbital = two electrons in total. No matter the value of ml for the d subshell (-2,-1,0,+1, +2), the electrons would be 2. This in unless the ms was also specified, then it would be one. Make sense?

THANK YOU