C

The Aufbau principle outlines the rules used to

determine how electrons organize into shells and
subshells around the atomic nucleus.

✤ Electrons go into the subshell having the lowest

possible energy.
✤ An orbital can hold at most 2 electrons obeying the
Pauli exclusion principle.
✤ Electrons obey Hund's rule, which states that
electrons spread out before they pair up if there are
two or more energetically equivalent orbitals (e.g., p,
d).
s orbital
It is a spherical space encircling the nucleus. As it is spherically symmetrical, there is an equal
probability of nding electrons in all directions. The size of the orbital increases with the increase in
principal quantum number (n). The order of size is 1s < 2s < 3s < 4s and so on. We get a single ml value
for s-orbital, i.e., zero. So, every subshell has only one s-orbital.
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p orbital
As we move from the rst energy level, there is another orbital called p orbital. It looks like
two lobes or ballons tied at the nucleus, giving a dumbbell shape. Electrons can be found in
either of the two lobes. The ml value for p orbital ranges from -1 to +1, i.e., -1, 0, +1 (here, ℓ
= 1). Thus, every subshell can accommodate three p-orbital.

Depending on how the lobes lie along the x, y, or z-axis, they are designated as 2px, 2py, and 2pz. The axes of
these three p orbitals are mutually perpendicular. Similar to s orbitals, the size of p orbitals increases with an
increase in the principal quantum number, such as 2p < 3p < 4p and so on.
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d orbital
At the third level, there is another
orbital called d orbital, in addition
to s and p orbitals. There are ve
d-orbitals in each subshell, as its
ml values are -2,-1, 0, +1, +2.
These orbitals are designated as
dxy, dyz, dxz, dx2‒y 2 , and dz2.

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f orbital
Upon reaching the fourth energy level, there is
f orbital. They are oriented in the shape of
double dumbbells. The ml value for this
orbital ranges from -3 to +3, i.e., -3, -2, -1, 0,
+1, +2, +3 (here, ℓ = 3). Thus, every subshell
can accommodate seven f-orbital. The size of f
orbital can be arranged as 4f < 5f < 6f and so
on.