Electron Configuration

[Cytlalli 1B]

Why does the d-orbital start at 3 while the s and p start off at 1,2,.. and so on?

[Ismail 1F]

The 4s orbitals fill first and have a lower energy than 3d, so the 4s needs to be filled first.

[KateCaldwell 1A]

These numbers are determined by the l quantum number. The l number is the amount of orbitals an element can carry.

[nikitasridhar_1b]

the first shell (n=0) only has one subshell, so it only has s orbitals. after that the second shell (n=1) has two subshells, and therefore has s and p orbitals. the third shell (n=2) has 3 subshells and therefore has s,p, AND d.

[Paywand Baghal]

These numbers are determined by the l quantum number. The l number is the amount of orbitals an element can carry.

how do you figure out the l quantum number

[KateCaldwell 1A]

There isn't a formula to find l number; it is just standard numbers we need to know. s=0, p=1, d=2, f=3. The only other way to solve for it is through n-1= l max.

[004985802]

d is only present in the 3rd energy level and higher because in each energy level (1-4) an orbital (s p d f) is added. The first energy level only has an s orbital, the second has s and p, and the third has s, p, and d.