A p-orbital can accommodate a maximum of electrons

Options

A. 2
B. 6
C. 8
D. 10

Answer

To determine the maximum number of electrons that a p-orbital can accommodate, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Orbitals**:
- Orbitals are regions in an atom where there is a high probability of finding electrons. Each type of orbital (s, p, d, f) has a specific shape and capacity for electrons.

2. **Identifying p-Orbitals**:
- The p subshell consists of three p-orbitals, which are designated as px, py, and pz. Each of these orbitals can hold electrons.

3. **Maximum Capacity of One p-Orbital**:
- According to the Pauli Exclusion Principle, each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons, provided that these electrons have opposite spins.

4. **Total Capacity of p-Subshell**:
- Since there are three p-orbitals in the p subshell, we can calculate the total number of electrons that can be accommodated in the p subshell:
- Each p-orbital can hold 2 electrons.
- Therefore, for three p-orbitals:
\[ 3 \text{ orbitals} \times 2 \text{ electrons/orbital} = 6 \text{ electrons} \]

5. **Conclusion**:
- The maximum number of electrons that can be accommodated in a single p-orbital is 2.

### Final Answer:
A p-orbital can accommodate a maximum of **2 electrons**.

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