What are the possible quantum numbers for the 6d orbital?

1 Answer
Nov 13, 2015

Here's what I got.

Explanation:

figures.boundless.com

In order for an electron to reside in the d-subshell of any energy level, starting with the third one, it must have a distinct value for its angular momentum quantum number, #l#.

More specifically, the only value of #l# that describes the d-subshell is #l=2#.

In the case of the 6d-subshell, the principal quantum number ,#n#, which gives you the energy level on which the electron can be found, is equal to #6#.

Now, any d-subshell will contain a total of #5# orbitals given by the values of the magnetic quantum number, #m_l#.

For a d-subshell, #m_l# can take the following values

#m_l = {-2; -1; 0; 1; 2}#

Now, the spin quantum number, #m_s#, can only take two possible values

#m_s = -1/2 -># describes an electron with spin-down
#m_s = +1/2 -># describes an electron with spin-up

So, to sum this up, the electrons located in the 6d-subshell will have

  • #n = 6 -># the sixth energy level
  • #l=2 -># the d-subshell
  • #m_l = { -2; -1; 0; 1; 2} -># the five d-orbitals found in the d-subshell
  • #m_s = +- 1/2 -># either spin-up or spin-down