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JEE Advanced levelOne or more correct optionsDifficulty 3 of 3as219

Consider the electronic states of a carbon atom (). Which statements are correct?

  1. APlacing both electrons in one orbital with opposite spins does not violate the Pauli principle but violates Hund's rule for the ground state.
  2. BPlacing both electrons in one orbital with the same spin violates the Pauli principle.
  3. C is the ground state because it has more unpaired electrons and hence more exchange energy.
  4. D with the two electrons in different orbitals with parallel spins is the ground state.

Answer: A, B, D

Two electrons in one orbital need opposite spins (Pauli); with opposite spins this is allowed but is a higher-energy state than the Hund arrangement (A, B true). Promoting a electron to costs more energy than the exchange gain, so remains the ground state (C false). D is the Hund-rule ground state (true).
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