Question

why is the number of electrons that can be described by the quantum numbers n = 2, l = 2, ml = 1 equal to 0? why is it not 2?

Answer 1

Because l's largest value is n-1. l and n can't be equal.

Answer 2

oh hmm..but if n = 2 then l has 0 and 1 right so tehre are 2?

Answer 3

yep it goes like this:
n= 1,2,3...
l= 0,1,2... (n-1)
ml= +l...0...-l
ms= +1/2 or -1/2

Answer 4

what does l mean anyway?

Answer 5

s p d or f orbitals (0 = s, 1 = p, and so on)

Answer 6

yes i remembered as l = levels so level s level p...

Answer 7

In the set you put up, n=2 and l=2 would equal a 2d orbital, which doesn't exist. Hence why the number of electrons is 0.

Answer 8

uhmm please explain in simpler terms..

Answer 9

do you have general chemistry book? if only mine was written on english i would send you in pdf and tell you what pages to read... this is a bit large topic and i'm afraid there is no simple answer, it is mostly confusing...
if you want i can try to translate it to english but i cant guarantee that my translation will be perfect...

Answer 10

n= 2. So it's the second row of the table. The second row has two elements on the left and six on the right. It doesn't have that transition metal part that the other rows have. When l = 2, they want an element in that transition metal group. Since the second row is what they wanted, n=2, l=2 doesn't exist.

It sounds confusing at first, I think.

Answer 11

lol this is why i don't like chemistry hahaha =))) it's so confusing >.< especially now our lesson is lewis structure...just got more confusing

Answer 12

well this isnt exactly chemistry more quantum mechanics because of wave functions and all that but you need to read that few times to settle... i was learning that for 3 months!!!