Moderate

The relative energies of 4s, 4p and 3d orbitals are in the order:

Correct answer: B. 4s < 3d < 4p

  • A. 3d < 4p <4s
  • B. 4s < 3d < 4p
  • C. 4p < 4s < 3d
  • D. 4p < 3d < 4s

Explanation

The Aufbau principle states that electrons fill lower-energy atomic orbitals before filling higher-energy ones (Aufbau is German for "building-up"). By following this rule, we can predict the electron configurations for atoms or ions. To find the energy of orbitals, we use the (n+l) principle where n= energy level, while l= orbital level.For 4s: n+l= 4 + 0 = 4For 3d: n+l= 3 + 2= 5For 4p: n+l = 4+ 1= 5 (but since the distance of 4p is greater than that of 3d, 3d gets filled first)Final order: 4s<3d<4p

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