Question

How many f orbitals are present in n=3?

Answer 1

Zero.

Explanation:

As you know, the number of orbitals you get per energy shell is given by the equation

`color(blue)("no. of orbitals" = n^2)" "`, where

`n` - the energy level, also known as energy shell

Now, the third energy level, characterized by `n=3`, will have a total of

`"no. of orbitals" = 3^2 = 9`

orbitals. But how many of these orbitals will be f-orbitals?

As it turns out, none.

Each energy level contains a number of subshells given by the angular momentum quantum number, `l`, which can take values ranging from `0` to `n-1`.

`l = 0, 1, 2, ..., n-1`

This means that the third energy level will have a total of three subshells

• one s-subshell, for which `l=0`
• one p-subshell, for which `l=1`
• one d-subshell, for which `l=2`

The f-subshell, for which `l=3`, doesn't come around until the fourth energy level, `n=4`.

Therefore, you can say that the third energy level contains no f-orbitals since it contains no f-subhsell.