How many orbitals are present in the f subshell?

The f subshell is associated with the angular momentum quantum number ( l = 3 ). The number of orbitals within a given subshell can be determined by the formula ( 2l + 1 ).

For the f subshell, substituting the value of ( l ):

[ 2(3) + 1 = 6 + 1 = 7 ]

Thus, the f subshell contains 7 orbitals. Each of these orbitals can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, meaning that the f subshell can accommodate a total of 14 electrons. Understanding the structure of the subshells and their corresponding orbitals, including the fact that there are types of subshells designated by letters (s, p, d, f), helps clarify the organization of electrons in atoms and their behavior during chemical bonding.