Question

How many individual orbitals does carbon use for all of its electrons? Remember, there are two electrons in each filled orbital

Answer 1

Answer:

Three orbitals

Explanation:

The electronic configuration of carbon is given as follows;

1s²2s²2p²

Therefore, out of the six electrons of the carbon atoms, 4 fill the 1s and 2s orbitals with 2 electrons each, while the two remaining electrons are situated in the 2p orbital, with the electrons in the 2p orbital will remain unpaired such that they will have similar quantum numbers in accordance with Pauli exclusion principle.