UPSC Prelims 2003·GS1·science-and-technology·science and technology

Regarding the atom of a chemical element, the magnetic quantum number refers to

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  1. AorientationCorrect
  2. Bshape
  3. Csize
  4. Dspin

Explanation

The magnetic quantum number (ml) describes the orientation of an atomic orbital in space. For a given subshell (determined by the azimuthal quantum number, l), the magnetic quantum number specifies the number of orbitals and their spatial arrangement relative to each other. For example, for l=1 (p subshell), ml can be -1, 0, +1, corresponding to the px, py, and pz orbitals which are oriented along the x, y, and z axes respectively. A) orientation: This is correct. The magnetic quantum number dictates how an orbital is oriented in three-dimensional space. B) shape: The shape of an orbital is determined by the azimuthal (angular momentum) quantum number (l). For example, l=0 (s orbital) is spherical, l=1 (p orbital) is dumbbell-shaped. C) size: The size and energy of an orbital are primarily determined by the principal quantum number (n). Higher n means a larger orbital. D) spin: The spin of an electron is described by the spin quantum number (ms), which can be +1/2 or -1/2, indicating the intrinsic angular momentum of the electron.
science-and-technology: Regarding the atom of a chemical element, the magnetic quantum number refers to

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