The Pauli exclusion principle states that no ________ electrons within an atom can have the same ________ quantum numbers.
A) 4; 6
B) 2; 4
C) 3; 6
D) 6; 10
E) 3; 8

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons within an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers including n (principal quantum number), l (azimuthal quantum number), m(l) (magnetic quantum number), and m(s) (spin quantum number). Since there are only two possible values for the spin quantum number (either +1/2 or -1/2), two electrons in the same orbital must have opposite spin, ensuring that they have different quantum numbers. Therefore, option B (2; 4) is the correct choice.

The Pauli Exclusion Principle States That No ________ Electrons Within