The 15 microstates of an
np2 electron configuration
mL=+1
mL=0
mL=-1
ML
MS
MJ
+2
0
+2
+1
+1
+2
+1
0
+1
0
+1
+1
0
0
0
+1
0
+1
+1
-1
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
0
0
0
-1
+1
0
-1
0
-1
-1
0
-1
-1
-1
-2
-2
0
-2
mL=+1
mL=0
mL=-1
ML
MS
MJ
+2
0
+2
+1
+1
+2
+1
0
+1
0
+1
+1
0
0
0
+1
0
+1
+1
-1
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
0
0
0
-1
+1
0
-1
0
-1
-1
0
-1
-1
-1
-2
-2
0
-2
1D
2
mL=+1
mL=0
mL=-1
ML
MS
MJ
+2
0
+2
+1
+1
+2
+1
0
+1
0
+1
+1
0
0
0
+1
0
+1
+1
-1
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
0
0
0
-1
+1
0
-1
0
-1
-1
0
-1
-1
-1
-2
-2
0
-2
mL=+1
mL=0
mL=-1
ML
MS
MJ
+2
0
+2
+1
+1
+2
+1
0
+1
0
+1
+1
0
0
0
+1
0
+1
+1
-1
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
0
0
0
-1
+1
0
-1
0
-1
-1
0
-1
-1
-1
-2
-2
0
-2
3P
0
3P
1
3P
2
mL=+1
mL=0
mL=-1
ML
MS
MJ
+2
0
+2
+1
+1
+2
+1
0
+1
0
+1
+1
0
0
0
+1
0
+1
+1
-1
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
0
0
0
-1
+1
0
-1
0
-1
-1
0
-1
-1
-1
-2
-2
0
-2
mL=+1
mL=0
mL=-1
ML
MS
MJ
+2
0
+2
+1
+1
+2
+1
0
+1
0
+1
+1
0
0
0
+1
0
+1
+1
-1
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
0
0
0
-1
+1
0
-1
0
-1
-1
0
-1
-1
-1
-2
-2
0
-2
1S
0
Hund’s Rules allow us to rank order these states in energy:
1S
0
1D
2
E
3P
2
3P
1
3P
0
Ground state