Question

The total number of microstates possible for a d$^8$ electronic configuration is ________.

Hint:

Microstates represent all possible arrangements of electrons in degenerate orbitals considering spin and orbital occupancy.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 45

Step 1: Use microstate formula.
The number of microstates ($\Omega$) for a d$^n$ configuration is given by: \[ \Omega = \frac{10!}{n!(10-n)!} \] For $n = 8$: \[ \Omega = \frac{10!}{8! \, 2!} = \frac{10 \times 9}{2} = 45 \] Step 2: Conclusion.
The total number of microstates for a d$^8$ configuration is 45.