MHT CET Medical202622 April 2026Morning ShiftChemistryStructure of AtomActual
Which of the following representation of atomic orbitals is CORRECT regarding dependance of orbital energy on (n+l) rule?
Options
- A3s < 2p
- B4s < 3p
- C3d < 4p
- D5s < 4p
Correct answer
C. 3d < 4p
Step-by-step solution
According to the (n+l) rule, the energy of an orbital depends on the sum of the principal quantum number (n) and the azimuthal quantum number (l) . If two orbitals have the same (n+l) value, the orbital with the lower n value has lower energy. For 3s and 2p : 3s: n+l = 3+0 = 3 2p: n+l = 2+1 = 3 Since n is lower for 2p , 2p For 4s and 3p : 4s: n+l = 4+0 = 4 3p: n+l = 3+1 = 4 Since n is lower for 3p , 3p For 3d and 4p : 3d: n+l = 3+2 = 5 4p: n+l = 4+1 = 5 Since n is lower for 3d , 3d For 5s and 4p : 5s: n+l = 5+0 = 5