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10 December, 23:54

How many electrons in a multi-electron atom could identified by the two quantum numbers n = 2, ms = + 1/2?

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  1. 11 December, 00:22
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    The number of electrons that can have the quantum numbers n = 2 and mₛ = + 1/2 in a multi-electrons atom is 4.

    Explanation:

    The quantum number n stands for the principal number and it indicates an electron's shell in an atom.

    Shells K, L, M, N, O have principal quantum numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 respectively. So, n = 2 represents the L-shell whose maximum number of electrons is given by a general formula, 2n² = 2 (2²) = 8 electrons.

    The mₛ represents the spin quantum number which indicates the direction of spin of electrons in the sub-orbital of atoms. It is usually of 2 types, clockwise and anti-clockwise spin. The numbers (-1/2) and (+1/2) are values used for specifying this direction of spin.

    So, in the L-shell with 8 maximum number of electrons, half of the electrons in their respective sub-orbital will spin in the clockwise direction (i. e. 4 electrons) and the other half will spin in the anti-clockwise direction (i. e. 4 electrons); half of them will have spin quantum number of (+1/2) and the other half will have spin quantum number of (-1/2) in their respective sub-orbitals.

    The number of electrons that can have the quantum numbers n = 2 and mₛ = + 1/2 in a multi-electrons atom is 4.
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