Multielectron atoms: How many possible sets of quantum numbers (electron states) are there in the 5f subshell?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The 5f subshell has a maximum of 14 electrons. According to the Pauli exclusion principle, no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers. Therefore, each electron in the 5f subshell can have a unique set of quantum numbers. The possible sets of quantum numbers can be calculated using the formulas for n, l, ml, and ms:

n = 5
l can range from 0 to 4 (l = 0 for s subshell, l = 1 for p subshell, l = 2 for d subshell, l = 3 for f subshell, and l = 4 for g subshell)
ml can range from -l to l
ms can be either +1/2 or -1/2

Using these formulas, we can calculate the possible sets of quantum numbers for each electron in the 5f subshell. Since there are 14 electrons in the subshell, there are a total of 14 possible sets of quantum numbers. Therefore, the answer is E) 14.

Multielectron Atoms: How Many Possible Sets of Quantum Numbers (Electron