ppl2pass said:My guess is either 14 or 12.
Which one is right? And please explain why.
The maximum number of electrons that can fit in 6f orbitals is 14. This is because each 6f orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons.
There are a total of 7 6f orbitals in an atom, labeled as 6fxxy, 6fxxz, 6fyyz, 6fxyz, 6fx2-y2, 6fz2-x2, and 6f3z2-r2.
The number of electrons in 6f orbitals can affect the chemical properties of an atom by impacting its electronic structure and therefore its reactivity. Atoms with filled 6f orbitals tend to be more stable and less reactive compared to atoms with partially filled 6f orbitals.
No, an atom cannot have more or less than 14 electrons in its 6f orbitals. This is because the 6f sublevel can only hold a maximum of 14 electrons, following the Aufbau principle and the maximum number of electrons allowed in each orbital.
The number of electrons in 6f orbitals does not directly correlate to an atom's position on the periodic table. However, atoms with partially filled 6f orbitals tend to be located in the transition metal and lanthanide/actinide series of the periodic table due to their electronic configuration and chemical properties.