Which of the following orbitals has higher screening power ?

Options

A. 4s
B. 4p
C. 4d
D. 4f

Answer

To determine which of the given orbitals has the highest screening power, we need to understand the concept of screening power and how it varies among different types of orbitals.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand Screening Power**:
- Screening power refers to the ability of inner shell electrons to shield or screen the outer shell electrons from the attractive force of the nucleus. This means that the more effective the screening, the less the outer electrons feel the pull of the nucleus.

2. **Identify the Orbitals**:
- The orbitals in question are 4s, 4p, 4d, and 4f.

3. **Recall the Order of Screening Power**:
- The general order of screening power for orbitals is as follows:
- s > p > d > f
- This means that s orbitals provide the greatest screening effect, followed by p, then d, and finally f orbitals.

4. **Analyze Each Orbital**:
- 4s orbital: This orbital has the highest screening power because it is an s orbital.
- 4p orbital: This has less screening power than 4s.
- 4d orbital: This has even less screening power than 4p.
- 4f orbital: This has the least screening power among the given options.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Based on the order of screening power, the orbital with the highest screening power is the **4s orbital**.

### Final Answer:
The orbital with the highest screening power is **4s**.