A 3p electron can have possible magnetic quantum number values of

Study for the Medical Chemistry Test. Explore multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Get exam-ready with engaging quizzes and comprehensive study materials.

Multiple Choice

A 3p electron can have possible magnetic quantum number values of

The magnetic quantum number ml describes the orientation of an orbital and can take values from -l to +l. For a p orbital, the angular momentum quantum number l equals 1, so ml can be -1, 0, or +1. The fact that this is a 3p subshell only fixes the principal quantum number n; it does not change the ml range. Therefore the possible ml values are -1, 0, and 1. The other options would require either higher angular momentum (like d orbitals with ml up to ±2) or omit negative values, which isn’t allowed for a p orbital.

The magnetic quantum number ml describes the orientation of an orbital and can take values from -l to +l. For a p orbital, the angular momentum quantum number l equals 1, so ml can be -1, 0, or +1. The fact that this is a 3p subshell only fixes the principal quantum number n; it does not change the ml range. Therefore the possible ml values are -1, 0, and 1. The other options would require either higher angular momentum (like d orbitals with ml up to ±2) or omit negative values, which isn’t allowed for a p orbital.

More practice questions