Which of the following is a valid magnetic quantum number ml value for a d subshell (l = 2)?

• A. -3
• B. -2
• C. 3
• D. 4

Answer: (B)

The magnetic quantum number ml specifies the orientation of orbitals within a subshell and must be an integer ranging from -l to +l. For a d subshell, l = 2, so ml can be -2, -1, 0, +1, or +2. Among the options, -2 fits this allowed range, while -3, 3, and 4 do not, since they lie outside -2 to +2. Therefore, -2 is the valid ml value for a d subshell.