In all, how many nodal planes are there in the atomic orbitals for the principal quantum number `n = 3`?

Options

A. 10
B. 9
C. 11
D. 2

Answer

C

Explanation

Shell with n = 3 has 3s, 3p, `(p_(x), p_(y), P_(z))` and 3d `(d_(xy),d_(xz),d_(yz),d_(x^(2)-y^(2)),and d_(z^(2)))` orbitals.
s has no nodal plane.
Each of `p_(x), p_(y), p_(z)` has one nodal plane, which means a total of three nodal planes.
`d_(z^2)` has no nodal plane.
Each of `d_(xy),d_(xz),d_(yz),d_(x^(2)-y^(2)` has two nodal planes, which means a total of eight nodal planes.
Hence, for n = 3, a total of 11 nodal planes are there.