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Ch.6 - Electronic Structure of Atoms
Chapter 6, Problem 58a

Give the values for n, l, and ml for (a) each orbital in the 3p subshell.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Quantum Numbers

Quantum numbers are a set of numerical values that describe the unique quantum state of an electron in an atom. There are four quantum numbers: the principal quantum number (n), the azimuthal quantum number (l), the magnetic quantum number (ml), and the spin quantum number (ms). For the 3p subshell, n indicates the energy level, l defines the subshell type, and ml specifies the orientation of the orbital.
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Principal Quantum Number

Principal Quantum Number (n)

The principal quantum number (n) indicates the main energy level or shell of an electron in an atom. It can take positive integer values (1, 2, 3, ...), with higher values corresponding to higher energy levels and greater distances from the nucleus. For the 3p subshell, n is 3, indicating that the electrons are in the third energy level.
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Principal Quantum Number

Azimuthal Quantum Number (l)

The azimuthal quantum number (l) defines the shape of the orbital and can take integer values from 0 to n-1. Each value of l corresponds to a specific subshell: l = 0 for s, l = 1 for p, l = 2 for d, and l = 3 for f. For the 3p subshell, l is 1, indicating that the orbitals have a dumbbell shape characteristic of p orbitals.
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Magnetic Quantum Number