QUANTUM NUMBERS

• The solution of the Schrodinger equation for hydrogen atom gave three quantum numbers
- n, I and m describe the position and energy of the electron.
• quantum number 's’ - spin of the electron.

• (1) Principal quantum numbers (n)

• (2) Subsidiary/Azimuthal/Angular momentum quantum number (l)
• (3) Magnetic quantum number (m)
• (4) Spin quantum number (s)
PRINCIPAL QUANTUM NUMBER (n)

• main energy level to which the electron belongs

• Values 1, 2, 3...,. designated as K, L, M, N etc.
• Distance of the electron from the nucleus
• As the value of n increases, the electron is farther away from the nucleus and its energy
decreases.
SUBSIDIARY, AZIMUTHAL OR ANGULAR MOMENTUM QUANTUM NUMBER (l)

• Denotes the sub-shell within the main energy level.

• Describes the shape of the orbital occupied by the electron.
• It can have zero to (n-1) values.
• The letters s, p, d and f come from spectroscopic terms - sharp, principal, diffuse,
and fundamental (categorized based on spectral lines emitted by those types of
orbitals)
• This quantum number explains the splitting up of spectral lines.
• sub-shells slightly differ in energies.
✓ The angular momentum of a revolving electron can be calculated
MAGNETIC QUANTUM NUMBER (m)

✓ Orientation of an electron cloud, under the influence of a magnetic field.

✓ Each orientation corresponds to an orbital represented by magnetic quantum number m
✓ Values ranging from – l to +I, giving a total of 2l+1 values.

• When l = 0, denotes s sub-shell Here, m = 0; one orientation

• p sub-shell I = 1, and m = -1, 0, +1; a total of 3 orientations (degenerate orbital)
• For d sub-shell, I = 2, and the values of m are -2, -1, 0, 1, 2; 5 orientations (degenerate).
• I= 3 for the f sub-shell, m =-3,-2,-1, 0, 1, 2, 3; a total of 7 orientations
 Zeeman effect

The Zeeman Effect is the splitting of a spectral line into several components in the
presence of a static magnetic field.

• In magnetic field orbital angular momentum vector aligns with the field in specific directions
The number of possible orientations is 2l +1
• These different orientations have different energies.
• Number of possible transitions increases, in presence of a magnetic field.
 SPIN QUANTUM NUMBER(S)

✓ spin of the electron on its own axis

✓ clockwise or anti-clock wise. Clock wise +1/2 and anticlockwise -1/2

Spin angular quantum number has the magnitude

Total Number of Orbitals in a Main Shell

• For n= 1, only one orbital is possible which is 1s.

• For n = 2, 4 orbitals (2s, 2px 2py, 2pz), and
• n = 3, 9 orbitals
• Maximum number of orbitals in a sub-shell is (2l+1).
• An orbital can accommodate a maximum of two electrons.
• Total number of electrons in 2l+1 orbital will be 2 (2l+1) = 4l +2.

• Maximum Number of Electrons in a Main Shell

• Maximum number of electrons in a main shell is 2n2 where n is the principal quantum
• number.
• First main shell can have 2 electrons; 2nd main shell can have 2 x 4 = 8 electrons; 3rd
main shell can have 2 x 9 = 18 electrons in them.
For determining the electronic configuration of atoms

• Aufbau principle,

• Pauli’s exclusion principle and

• Hund's rule of maximum multiplicity are used.

Aufbau principle

Electrons are filled in various orbitals in the increasing value of energy, starting with the orbital of
lowest energy.

✓ Energy levels are decided based on their (n+l) values.

4s (n +l = 4 +0 = 4) will be filled
before 3d (n + l = 3 +2 = 5).
✓ When two orbitals are having the same values of (n
+ l), the one with lower n value is filled first.
3p is filled before 4s.

• Adding any electron to the 4f level, a single

electron is added to a 5d orbital.
• Similarly one electron enters the 6d electron
before any electron enters the 5f sub-shell.
Diagonal rule
PAULI'S EXCLUSION PRINCIPLE

No two electrons in an atom can have the same value for all the four quantum numbers.

• For a given orbital, the values of n, l and m will be the same. But the electrons will have to
differ in the case of spin quantum number.
• If one is having spin quantum number +1/2 other will have -1/2.
• Maximum number of electrons that can be accommodated in an orbital is two.
1s -2 electrons
(n = 1, l=0, m = 0, s= +1/2) and (n = 1, /l= 0, m =0, s= -1/2).

For n=2

The eight possible combinations are

HUND'S RULE

Pairing of electron is not allowed in degenerate levels, until they are singly occupied
not possible until all the available orbitals of a sub-shell contain one electron each.

✓ The spin unpaired electrons in a sub-shell will be parallel or in the same direction.
✓ When electron comes closer, they repel each other –energy increases