Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
How many sublevels are contained in the third shell (n = 3) for a given atom?
A
1
B
2
C
3
D
4
E
5
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that the principal quantum number, n, represents the shell level of an atom. In this problem, n = 3 indicates the third shell.
Recall that each shell (n) contains n sublevels. Therefore, for n = 3, there are 3 sublevels.
Identify the types of sublevels present in the third shell. These are s, p, and d sublevels.
Recognize that the s sublevel has 1 orbital, the p sublevel has 3 orbitals, and the d sublevel has 5 orbitals, but the question only asks for the number of sublevels, not orbitals.
Conclude that the third shell (n = 3) contains 3 sublevels: s, p, and d.