How many orbitals are found in a d subshell?

1 Answer
Dec 29, 2017

#5#.

Explanation:

The number of orbitals present in a given subshell is given by the number of values that the magnetic quantum number, #m_l#, can take.

In turn, the possible values that the magnetic quantum number can take depend on the identity of the angular momentum quantum number, #l#, which denotes the energy subshell in which an electron resides in an atom.

#m_l = { -l, -(l-1), ..., - 1, 0, +1, ..., +(l-1), +l}#

Now, the #d# subshell is described by

#l = 2#

This means that for a #d# subshell , the magnetic quantum number can take #5# possible values.

#l = 2 implies m_l = {-2, -1, 0, +1, +2}#

You can thus say that the #d# subshells, which can be found in an atom starting with the third energy level, contain five #d# orbitals.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/chemistryformajors/chapter/spectroscopic-and-magnetic-properties-of-coordination-compounds/