Question

What is a correct set of four quantum number values for an electron present in \(3p\) orbital?

• A. \(3,2,1,+1/2\)
• B. \(3,2,0,+1/2\)
• C. \(3,1,0,+1/2\)
• D. \(3,0,1,+1/2\)

Hint:

For 3p, n is 3 and l is 1, so m can only be -1, 0 or +1.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept
Each electron has four quantum numbers \(n, l, m_l, m_s\). In a 3p orbital, \(n=3\) and \(l=1\).

Step 2: Allowed values
For \(l=1\), the magnetic quantum number is \(m_l=-1, 0, +1\).
The spin quantum number is \(\pm\frac{1}{2}\).

Step 3: Compare the options
(A) and (B) use \(l=2\), which is d.
(D) uses \(l=0\) with \(m_l=1\), which is not allowed.
(C) \(3,1,0,+\frac{1}{2}\) is valid for 3p.

Final Answer:
The valid set is n = 3, l = 1, m = 0 and spin +1/2. \[ \boxed{\text{(C) }3,1,0,+1/2} \]