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Helium has only two electrons, and they share one orbital (forming a complementary pair).

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15y ago
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4mo ago

Helium has a total of two orbitals: one s orbital and one p orbital. Each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons.

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13y ago

One, as it has 2 electrons. The first orbit can have up to 2 electrons, before they have to start filling the second orbit.

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Q: How many orbitals does helium have?
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Continue Learning about Earth Science

Why is helium stable with a different arrangement?

All noble gases have completely filled orbitals. Helium has two valence electrons and its s-orbital is full and is stable. Other noble gases have completely fill p-orbitals as the valence orbitals.


Is helium diatomic?

No. First consider two helium atoms, each has two electrons spin-paired in a filled 1s shell, for a total of 4 electrons. Now construct the molecular orbitals that a diatomic helium molecule would contain. To do so, you combine both 1s orbitals from the individual atoms. Combining two atomic orbitals gives two molecular orbitals (by orbital conservation). The in-phase overlap gives the bonding orbital (sigma 1s) and out-of-phase overlap gives the anti-bonding orbital (sigma* 1s). Filling in the two molecular orbitals from low energy to high energy (aufbau principle) populates the simga with two electrons and the sigma* with two electrons. Because the energy of the sigma and sigma* orbitals are equal, but opposite in sign, there is no net bond stabilization. I.e. no physical reason for Helium atoms to exist as diatomic molecules.


How many orbitals does zinc have?

Zinc has 30 electrons, which fill up to the 4d orbitals. Therefore, zinc has 3 orbitals for the 3d subshell and 5 orbitals for the 4d subshell, totaling 8 orbitals.


How many orbitals in a phosphorus atom?

A phosphorus atom has 3s, 3p, and 3d orbitals for a total of 5 orbitals.


How many orbitals do the electrons of Beryllium occupy?

The electrons in beryllium occupy a total of four orbitals. Beryllium has 4 electrons, which fill the 1s, 2s, and 2p orbitals.

Related questions

How many orbitals are in helium?

one


What is Number of orbitals in helium?

Helium has two electrons, and each electron occupies an orbital. Therefore, in a helium atom, there are two orbitals, one for each electron.


Why does not hydrogen combine with helium?

Helium has completely filled orbitals and hence is unreactive.


Why is helium non reactant?

Helium has completely filled orbitals, hence it is stable and inert.


Does helium react vigorously with acid?

No. helium has completely filled orbitals and does not react with anything else.


Is helium used to make chemical products?

No. helium is chemically inert as it has completely filled orbitals


Why helium does not combine with other elements?

Helium has completely filled valence orbitals, is stable and chemically inert.


How many electron orbitals does helium have?

Helium has a total of 1 electron orbital. This electron orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons.


What happens when helium combines with oxygen?

Helium doesn't combine with oxygen. Helium is chemically inert because it has completely filled valence orbitals.


Why potassium and Helium not likely to form and ionic bond?

helium has completely filled orbitals and does not react with any element.


Which is the most stable out of the two Oxygen or Helium?

Helium is more stable, because it has completely filled valence orbitals.


Why are neon and helium alike?

both have complete filled valence orbitals