What is the meaning of degenerate orbitals?
Dude Changed status to publish February 8, 2022
When more than two electrons can occupy the same orbital according to quantum rules, they are said to be degenerate.
For instance, in a hydrogen atom, there are two electrons that each have an integer-valued principal quantum number (n) and a probability amplitude (Ψ). The electron’s state (eigenstate) is then described by the equation ψ=nh|Ψ|/h – n with the condition that n=1/2. This means that both electrons in an hydrogen atom cannot share certain orbitals. However, when there is not enough energy for one of the electrons to get into higher orbits or shells then this electron will show up as being locked to its original principal quantum number term.
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