Within a given shell of a multielectron atom,the lower l for an orbital,the A)higher the orbital energy and the higher Z_eff for the electron. B)higher the orbital energy and the lower Z_eff for the electron. C)lower the orbital energy and the higher Z_eff for the electron. D)lower the orbital energy and the lower Z_eff for the electron.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The lower l value indicates a lower angular momentum, which corresponds to a more spherical shape for the orbital. Spherical orbitals have lower energy compared to non-spherical ones, hence lower l orbitals have lower energy. Additionally, for a given shell, the effective nuclear charge (Zeff) increases as we move from left to right across the periodic table. This leads to an increase in Zeff as we move from an outer shell to an inner shell within a given atom. Higher Zeff leads to a stronger attractive force between the nucleus and the electron, which in turn leads to a decrease in the energy of the orbital. Therefore, lower l orbitals have lower energy and higher Zeff.

Within a Given Shell of a Multielectron Atom,the Lower L