Term: Hund rules https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02871 Definition: Of the different multiplets resulting from different configurations of electrons in degenerate orbitals of an atom those with greatest multiplicity have the lowest energy (multiplicity rule). Related Terms: 1) degenerate orbitals (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.DT07018). Source: Citation: 'Hund rules' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02871 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.