Question

What is the maximum number of electrons found in any energy level of the known elements?

Answer 1

32? Not totally positive.

Answer 2

It depends on what you mean by energy level. Do you mean principal quantum number?

Answer 3

The answer you're probably expected to give is Merylkorn's, because the question is probably supposed to read "What is the maximum number of electrons found in any shell of [or with the same principal quantum number in] the known elements?" The answer to that question is 32, because no elements are yet known in which the g subshell is occupied. That leaves the highest angular momentum subshell occupied as the f, giving you s, p, d and f subshells in a given shell. They fit respectively 2, 6, 10 and 14 electrons, for a grand total of 32. All the elements after the first lanthanide series (Hf and higher) have a filled 4f subshell, so they have 32 electrons in the 4th shell, and all the elements after the second lanthanide series (Rf and up) have a filled 5f subshell, so they have 32 electrons in the 5th shell.

The problem with the question as stated is that in multi-electron atoms, that is every atom above hydrogen, every subshell has a different energy, because of electron-electron repulsion, so the s, p, d and f subshells are all, in principle, "different energy levels." If you interpret the question that way, then the answer is that the maximum number of electrons for known elements are the f subshells, and these can accomodate 14 electrons.

I would ask for clarification from your instructor, because this question is not well written.