How many electrons can occupy an orbital?
A) Two with parallel spins
B) Just one
C) Two with antiparallel spins
D) Three
E) Four
IMAT 2025 · Question 46
Q46 - Atomic structure
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The correct answer is C) Two with antiparallel spins.
An orbital holds two electrons with opposite spins. That's the Pauli exclusion principle: two electrons in the same orbital already share three quantum numbers, so they have to differ in spin.
Two with the same spin is exactly what Pauli rules out.
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