Result for the g sublevel
In the 5th energy level, there is a fifth sublevel called the “g sublevel”. Considering the trend in number of orbitals and electrons in the s, p, d, and f sublevels, predict how many orbitals and how many electrons can fit in a g sublevel. A g sublevel contains 9 orbitals and can accommodate 18 electrons.
Sublevels and the orbital-count pattern
Sublevels (subshells) are labeled by the azimuthal quantum number \(l\). The sequence s, p, d, f corresponds to \(l=0,1,2,3\), and the next one, g, corresponds to \(l=4\).
The number of orbitals in a sublevel is determined by the magnetic quantum number \(m_l\), which takes all integer values from \(-l\) to \(+l\). That produces \[ \text{orbitals in a sublevel} = 2l+1. \]
Electron capacity pattern
Each orbital holds at most 2 electrons (opposite spins), so the electron capacity of a sublevel is \[ \text{max electrons in a sublevel} = 2(2l+1). \]
For the g sublevel, \(l=4\), so \[ \text{orbitals} = 2(4)+1=9,\qquad \text{max electrons} = 2 \cdot 9 = 18. \]
Reference table for s through g
| Sublevel | \(l\) | Orbitals (\(2l+1\)) | Max electrons \(2(2l+1)\) |
|---|---|---|---|
| s | \(0\) | \(1\) | \(2\) |
| p | \(1\) | \(3\) | \(6\) |
| d | \(2\) | \(5\) | \(10\) |
| f | \(3\) | \(7\) | \(14\) |
| g | \(4\) | \(9\) | \(18\) |
Placement within the 5th energy level
The 5th energy level corresponds to \(n=5\), so the allowed sublevels have \(l=0,1,2,3,4\). Those map to 5s, 5p, 5d, 5f, and 5g, making g the fifth sublevel in the \(n=5\) shell.