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CHEM 121 Studioby Learn4Less · UBC CHEM 121

CHEM 121 glossary

Degenerate

Having the same energy. The three orbitals of a p subshell are always degenerate in a free atom; in a one-electron species every orbital of a shell is degenerate, because the energy depends on nn alone.

The three 2p orbitals lie at one energy.

Example

In hydrogen, 3s, 3p and 3d are all degenerate: 32=93^2 = 9 orbitals at −2.42×10−19-2.42\times10^{-19} J. In sodium, 3s < 3p < 3d.

See alsoSubshellOne-electron speciesShielding