Question

Why does the L shell not have d-orbitals?

Answer 1

• In an atom, electrons (negatively charged) revolve around the positively charged nucleus in a definite circular path called orbits or shells.
• The energy levels are represented by an integer (n=1, 2, 3…) known as the quantum number.
• This range of quantum numbers starts from the nucleus side with n=1 having the lowest energy level. The orbits n=1, 2, 3, 4… are assigned as K, L, M, N….shells.
• For any given value of ‘n’, the value of ‘l’ can range from zero to (n-1).
• Electrons in a particular subshell (such as s, p, d, or f) are defined by values of $\mathrm{\ell }(0,1,2,\mathrm{or}3)$. The value of ${\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{l}}$can range from $-\mathrm{\ell }\mathrm{to}+\mathrm{\ell },$ including zero.
• If the value of ‘n’ is equal to 3, the possible values of ‘l’, which range from zero to (3-1), are 0, 1, and 2. The names of these atomic orbitals will be 3s (for n=3 and l=0), 3p (for n=3 and l=1), and 3d (for n=3 and l=2).
• In general, the n^th shell will contain ${\mathrm{n}}^2$ orbitals.
• For n = 1 , subshell = 0 i.e 1s
• n = 2, subshell = 0, 1 i.e. 2s, 2p
• n = 3, subshell = 0, 1, 2 i.e. 3s, 3p, 3d
• n = 4, subshell = 0, 1, 2, 3 i.e. 4s, 4p, 4d, 4f

and here 0, 1, 2, 3 means s, p, d and f respectively.

In the 2nd energy level i.e L-shell, electrons are located only in the ‘s’ and ‘p’ sublevels, so there are no ‘d’ orbitals.

Thus, the L shell does not have d-orbitals.