The 3p sublevel contains a total of three orbitals. Each of these orbitals can hold a maximum of two electrons, making the 3p sublevel capable of accommodating up to six electrons in total.
To understand this better, it helps to look at the structure of atomic orbitals. The ‘3’ in 3p indicates that this sublevel is associated with the third energy level of an atom. The ‘p’ signifies that it is a p-type orbital. In general, p orbitals come in sets of three, which are oriented at right angles to each other. These spatial orientations allow electrons to occupy these orbitals efficiently.
In summary, the 3p sublevel has three distinct orbitals, each allowing for the presence of two electrons, leading to a maximum of six electrons in total for this sublevel.