If the splitting of the d -orbitals in an octahedral field is Δ oct, the three t 2g orbitals are stabilized relative to the barycenter by / 5 Δ oct, and the e g orbitals are destabilized by / 5 Δ oct. As examples, consider the two d configurations shown further up the page. The low-spin (top) example has five electrons in the t 2g orbitals, so the total CFSE is 5 x / 5 Δ oct = 2Δ oct. In the high-spin (lower) example, the CFSE is (3 x / 5 Δ oct) - (2 x / 5 Δ oct) = 0 - in this case, the stabilization generated by the electrons in the lower orbitals is canceled out by the destabilizing effect of the electrons in the upper orbitals.