EK Chemistry Electron Configuration Q

[PinkTootie]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Suppose electrons could have 3 possible spin states ( up, down and sideways), rather than just two. Assuming nothing else was different, which of the following would be the correct ground state electron configuration for an element with atomic number 16.

A) 1s2 1p6 2s2 2p6

B) 1s2 2s2 3s2 3p6 4s2 4p2

C) 1s3 2s3 2p9 3s1

D) 3s2 3p6 3d8

Answer: C
Explanation: Now 3 electrons could go into each orbital.

Despite reading this explanation many times, I don't understand why a molecular orbital which can only hold 2 electrons can now hold 3 ? My answer was D based on that assumption of being partially correct.

Could someone please explain to me how you got to the answer. I think I am overthinking this but cannot stop thinking about this!!

 

[DrknoSDN]

The question said it can now hold 3... "suppose electrons could have 3 possible spin states"

Instead of drawing sub-shells with up and down arrows you now need to use up, down and right arrows for each little line. S orbitals can hold 3 electrons and p orbitals can hold 9 because there is 3 horizontal lines and each one has up down and right arrows.

 

[DeathandTaxes]

S subshell has 1 orbital, P has 3, and D has 5, and F has 7.

Imagine putting 3 arrows in each line, and you end up with 3 electrons in S, and 3(3) or 9 in P.
Hypothetically there would be 15 in D and 21 in F.