Chapter 12: Problem 10

How many "pairs" of electrons are there in a "filled" \(p\) subshell?

Short Answer

Expert verified

There are three 'pairs' of electrons in a 'filled' p subshell.

Step by step solution

Understanding subshells

In atomic structure, electrons are arranged in shells and subshells around the nucleus. The 'p' subshell is one kind of a subshell.

Electron distribution in 'p' subshell

A 'p' subshell can accommodate a maximum of six electrons. These electrons fill into three different 'p' orbitals, which are denoted as \(p_x\), \(p_y\), and \(p_z\). Each of these 'p' orbitals can hold a maximum of two electrons.

Calculating pairs

Each fully filled orbital (\(p_x\), \(p_y\), \(p_z\)) in a fully filled 'p' subshell will contain a pair of electrons. So when we talk about 'pairs', one pair indicates two electrons. Since there are three fully filled 'p' orbitals in a 'filled' p subshell, we will have three pairs of electrons.

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How many "pairs" of electrons are there in a "filled" \(p\) subshell?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understanding subshells

Electron distribution in 'p' subshell

Calculating pairs

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