A. Size of orbital
B. Shape of orbital
C. Orientation of orbital
D. Nuclear stability
C. Orientation of orbital
The magnetic quantum number (m_l) specifies:
C. Orientation of orbital
Here’s a breakdown of the quantum numbers and their specifications:
- Principal quantum number (n): This specifies the energy level or shell of the electron.
- Azimuthal quantum number (l): This specifies the subshell of the electron (s, p, d, f). It’s related to the shape of the orbital.
- Magnetic quantum number (m_l): This specifies the orientation of the orbital within a subshell. Since orbitals of the same subshell have the same shape but may have different orientations in space, m_l helps distinguish them.
- Spin quantum number (m_s): This specifies the spin of the electron along a chosen axis (usually +1/2 or -1/2).
So, the magnetic quantum number focuses on how an orbital is oriented in space, not its size or nuclear stability.