The magnitude of the orbital angular momentum L of an electron in a certain atom is equal to 3.464ħ.What is the orbital quantum number l of the electron?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The magnitude of the orbital angular momentum L is given by the formula L = √(l(l+1))ħ. Given L = 3.464ħ, we solve for l: √(l(l+1)) = 3.464. Squaring both sides gives l(l+1) = 12. Using trial and error or solving the quadratic equation, l = 3 satisfies this equation.

The Magnitude of the Orbital Angular Momentum L of an Electron