Question:

The orbitals are called degenerate when:

Show Hint

Degenerate orbitals can be referred to as the orbitals of the same subshell having equal energies. The electrons of the orbitals have the same energies when they are not influenced by any external factors like an electric field or magnetic field.

Updated On: Jul 29, 2023
  • they have the same wave functions
  • they have the same wave functions but different energies
  • they have different wave functions but same energy
  • they have the same energy
Hide Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

The orbitals are called degenerate when they have the same energy.

The orbitals having the same energy but different in orientation, are called degenerate orbitals. Such orbitals are associated with Aufbau Principle, Hund's Rule, and Pauli's Principle which gives us an insight into the basic manner in which the electrons are distributed in the orbitals. For e.g. 3d-orbital, l = 2,m = -2 ,-1 ,0 , +1, +2, i.e. there are five different orientations represented by \(d_{xy},d_{yz},d_{zx},d_{{x^2}-y^2}\, and\, d_{z^2}.\)

Hence, the correct answer is option D

Was this answer helpful?
1
0

Concepts Used:

Structure of Atom

Atomic Structure:

The atomic structure of an element refers to the constitution of its nucleus and the arrangement of the electrons around it. Primarily, the atomic structure of matter is made up of protons, electrons and neutrons.

Dalton’s Atomic Theory

Dalton proposed that every matter is composed of atoms that are indivisible and indestructible. 

The following are the postulates of his theory:

  • Every matter is made up of atoms.
  • Atoms are indivisible.
  • Specific elements have only one type of atoms in them.
  • Each atom has its own constant mass that varies from element to element.
  • Atoms undergo rearrangement during a chemical reaction.
  • Atoms can neither be created nor be destroyed but can be transformed from one form to another.

Cons of Dalton’s Atomic Theory

  • The theory was unable to explain the existence of isotopes.
  • Nothing about the structure of atom was appropriately explained.
  • Later, the scientists discovered particles inside the atom that proved, the atoms are divisible.

​​Subatomic Particles

  1. Protons - are positively charged subatomic particles.
  2. Electron - are negatively  charged subatomic particles.
  3. Neutrons - are electrically neutral particles and carry no charge

Atomic Structure of Isotopes

Several atomic structures of an element can exist, which differ in the total number of nucleons.These variants of elements having a different nucleon number (also known as the mass number) are called isotopes of the element. Therefore, the isotopes of an element have the same number of protons but differ in the number of neutrons.  For example, there exist three known naturally occurring isotopes of hydrogen, namely, protium, deuterium, and tritium.