THE QUANTUM

MECHANICAL
MODEL
Learning Competency:
❖ Describe how Bohr model of the atom
improved Rutherford`s atomic model

❖ Explain how the Quantum Mechanical

Model of the atom describes the energies
and positions of the electrons.
INTRODUCTION
At the beginning of the 20th century, a
new field of study known as quantum
mechanics emerged. One of the founders of
this field was a Danish physicist Niels Bohr,
who was interested in explaining the discrete
line spectrum observed when light was emitted
by different elements. Bohr was also interested
in the structure of the atom, which was a topic
of much debate at the time.
 INTRODUCTION
Numerous models of the atom had been
postulated based on experimental results
including the discovery of the electron by J. J.
Thomson and the discovery of the nucleus by
Ernest Rutherford. Bohr supported the
planetary model, in which electrons revolved
around a positively charged nucleus like the rings
around Saturn—or alternatively, the planets
around the sun.
 HELIUM ATOM
Shell/Orbit
proton

+
N
-
+
- N

electron neutron

What do these particles consist of?

 Properties of Subatomic Particles

Particle Symbol Location Charge

Electron e- Around nucleus 1–

Proton p+ Nucleus 1+

Neutron n0 nucleus 0
 Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table

Atomic number = number of

14
protons
Symbol Si
28.086 Atomic Mass
Silicon
Name

Number of protons = number of electrons

Number of neutrons = Atomic Mass (rounded) - number of

protons (relative mass)
Bohr Model
 In 1911, at the age of
twenty-five, Niels
Bohr received his
Ph.D. in Physics. He
was convinced that
the atom could be
pictured as a small
positive nucleus with
electrons orbiting
around it.
Bohr Model
 He constructed a
model of the
hydrogen atom
with quantized
energy levels.
 He pictured the
electron moving in
circular orbits
corresponding to
the various energy
levels.
 Bohr Model
 He suggested that
the electron could
jump to a different
orbit by absorbing
or emitting a
photon of light with
exactly the energy
content.
 As long as the electron stays
in its given orbit, there is no
absorption or emission of energy.
If the electron received extra
energy, it can jump into a higher
energy level, this is also called
excited state. The electron in
the excited state can return to its
original lower energy level or
ground state by releasing
discreet amount of energy in the
form of light.
 Bohr's Model of the Atom
Niels Bohr (1913):
-studied the light produced when atoms were excited
by heat or electricity.
 Table 1. Color emitted of some metal
salts and its element responsible for its
color.
Metal salts Element giving Color of flame
color
Sodium Nitrate (NaNO3) Sodium (Na) Yellow
Barium Chloride (BaCl2) Barium (Ba) green
Barium Nitrate (Ba2NO3) Barium (Ba) green
Calcium Chloride (Ca2Cl) Calcium (Ca) Orange
Copper Chloride (CuCl) Copper (Cu) Blue
Lithium Carbonate Lithium (Li) red
(Li2CO3)
 Bohr's Model
of the Atom

Bohr proposed
that electrons are
in orbits & when
excited jump to a
higher orbit. When
they fall back to
the original, they
give off light.
Electrons in each orbit have definite energy. This
energy increases as the distance of the orbit from
the nucleus increases. These orbits are also
known as “shells” or “energy levels” and are
assigned each a number: n=1, n=2, n=3, etc. or
letters (K, L, M, N, O, etc. ).
This atomic model presented by Bohr is comparable to a
staircase as shown on the figure above. When you walk up or
down the stairs your feet must hit the steps not on the empty
space between each steps, otherwise you will be in trouble
until you hit another step. The higher you climb the stairs; the
more energy you need. Similarly, the electrons can only stay
in a definite energy level and not on the space between
energy levels. The further the energy level from the nucleus
the higher the energy.
 Bohr's Model of the Atom
Bohr's model:
-electrons orbit the nucleus like planets orbit the
sun
 Bohr's Model of the Atom
-each orbit can hold a specific
maximum number of electrons
Orbit Maximum
Number of
electrons

1 2
2 8
3 8
4 18
5 18
Bohr's Model of the Atom
e.g. fluorine:
#p+ =

#e- =

#n =
Bohr's Model of the Atom
e.g. fluorine:
#p+ = atomic #
=9
#e- =

#n =
Bohr's Model of the Atom
e.g. fluorine:
#p+ = 9

#e- = # P
=9
#n =
Bohr's Model of the Atom
e.g. fluorine:
#p+ = 9

#e- = 9

#n = atomic mass - # p+
= 10
 Bohr's Model of the
Atom
e.g. fluorine:
#p+ = 9

#e- = 9 9p+
10n
#n = 10
draw the nucleus with
protons & neutrons
 Orbit Maximum Number
of electrons

1 2
2 8

e.g. fluorine: 3 8
4 18
#p+ = 9 5 18

#e- = 9 9p+
10n
#n = 10
how many electrons can
fit in the first orbit?
 Orbit Maximum Number
of electrons

1 2
2 8

e.g. fluorine: 3 8
4 18
#p = 9 5 18

#e- = 9 9p+
10n
#n = 10
how many electrons can
fit in the first orbit?
2
 Orbit Maximum Number
of electrons
Bohr's Model of the Atom
1 2
2 8
e.g. fluorine: 3 8

#p+ = 9 4 18
5 18

#e- = 9

#n = 10
9p+
how many electrons 10n
are left?
 Orbit Maximum
Number of
electrons
1 2
2 8
e.g. fluorine: 3 8
4 18
#p+ = 9 5 18

#e- = 9
9p+
10n
#n = 10

how many electrons are left? 7

 Orbit Maximum Number
of electrons

1 2
2 8
e.g. fluorine: 3 8

#p+ = 9 4 18
5 18

#e- = 9

#n = 10 9p+
10n
how many electrons are left? 7
how many electrons fit in the
second orbit?
 Orbit Maximum Number
of electrons

1 2
2 8
e.g. fluorine: 3 8

#p+ = 9 4 18
5 18

#e- = 9
9p+
#n = 10 10n

how many electrons are left? 7

how many electrons fit in the
second orbit? 8
Bohr's Model of the Atom
e.g. fluorine:
#p+ = 9

#e- = 9 9p+
10n
#n = 10
Check Your Understanding
try these:

hydrogen

boron

magnesium
Check Your Understanding
try these:

hydrogen
1p+
0n
Check Your Understanding
try these:

5p+
boron
6n
Check Your Understanding
try these:

12p+
12n
magnesium
By the mid-1920s, it had become
apparent that the Bohr’s model was
incorrect.

Two young physicists, Louis

Victor De Broglie from France and
Erwin Schrödinger from Austria,
suggested that because light seems to
have both wave and particle
characteristics (it behaves
simultaneously as a wave and as a
stream of particle), the electron might
also exhibit
both of these characteristics.
When Schrödinger carried
out a mathematical analysis
based on this idea, he found
out that it led to a new
model for the hydrogen
atom that seemed to apply
equally well to other atoms –
something Bohr’s model
failed to do
Wave Mechanical Model
of the Atom
⚫ According to the theory of
wave mechanics, electrons
do not move about an atom
in a definite path, like the
planets around the sun.

⚫ Introduced a mathematical
description of the electron’s
motion, called wave
function or atomic orbitals.
 The Wave Mechanical Model
⚫ In fact, it is impossible to
determine the exact location of
an electron. The probable
location of an electron is based
on how much energy the
electron has.
⚫ According to the modern atomic
model, an atom has a small
positively charged nucleus
surrounded by a large region in
which there are enough
electrons to make an atom
neutral.
 Electron Cloud:
⚫ A space in which
electrons are likely to be
found.
⚫ Electrons whirl about the
nucleus billions of times in
one second
⚫ They are not moving
around in random
patterns.
⚫ Location of electrons
depends upon how much
energy the electron has.
 Electron Cloud:
⚫ Electrons with the lowest
energy are found in the
energy level closest to the
nucleus.

⚫ Electrons with the highest

energy are found in the
outermost energy levels,
farther from the nucleus.

⚫ Schrodinger’s equation required the used of

quantum numbers to describe each electron
within an atom corresponding to the orbital
size, shape, and orientation space.
The Quantum Mechanical
Model
ELECTRON
CLOUDS

The probability of finding an electron in the

region around the nucleus of an atom can be
represented in many ways.
 The Atom a.k.a The Condo
SHELLS
Energy levels

Number of sublevels in a main

energy level is the same as the
assigned main energy level.
Main Energy Level Number of
(n) Sublevels

1 (lowest energy) 1

2 2

3 3

4 4
Sublevel Number of
Orbitals
s 1

p 3

d 5

f 7

g 9
Sublevel Maximum
Number of
electrons
s 2

p 6

d 10

f 14

g 18
Check Your Understanding
Main Energy Number and Number of kind of atomic Maximum
Levels (n) kind of atomic orbital orbitals number of
sublevels electrons(2n2 )
1 (K) 1(s) 1 1s 2
1s 8
2 (L) 2 ( s and p) 4 3p
1s
3 (M) 3 (s, p, 9 3p 18
and d) 5d
1s
4 (s, p, 3p
4 (N)
d, and f) 16 5d 32
7f
1s
5 (s, p, 3p
5 (O) d, f, and 25 5d
7f 50
g) 9g
Quantum Numbers
The Three Physicists
• Louie de Broglie
• Erwin Schrodinger
• Werner Karl Heisenberg

Quantum Mechanical Model

 The Three Physicists
• Schrödinger and de Broglie noticed that
electrons and light behaved not only as
particles, but also as waves.

• Schrödinger began working with a

mathematical model to understand the
behavior of electrons.
 Bohr Model vs Wave
Mechanical Model
➢Both models allow electrons to only be at
particular energy levels. (ladder model)

➢ The wave mechanical model is different in

that it does NOT define an exact path the
electron takes (No more ring model)

➢ Wave mechanical model uses probability

to estimate the probability of finding an
electron in a certain position.
Sublevel Number of
Orbitals
s 1
p 3
d 5
f 7
g 9
 Quantum Numbers
• According to Heisenberg’s Uncertainty
Principle, it is not possible to give the
exact position of an electron and its
energy at the same time.
• But the probability of finding an electron
in an orbital of given energy can be
determined.
 The 4 Quantum Numbers

• Principal Quantum Number, n

• Azimuthal Quantum Number, l
• Magnetic Quantum Number, ml
• Spin Quantum Number, ms
 Principal Quantum Number (n)
• Main energy level of an orbital
• An increase in n also means increase in
the energy of the electron in the orbital.
• n= 1, 2, 3….
• Maximum no. of electrons = 2n2
 Azimuthal Quantum Number(l)
• Also called Angular Momentum Number
• Defines the shape of the orbital
• Values range from 0 to n-1
For example, if n = 4, then the possible
values of l would be 0, 1, 2, 3
 Azimuthal Quantum Number
l Sublevel Orbital Shape

0 s(harp) Spherical

1 p(rincipal) dumbbell-shaped

2 d(iffused) Cloverleaf

3 f(undamental) Too complex

 Azimuthal Quantum Number
• A sublevel in a particular main energy level is
defined by its n and its l values.
n l Kind of
Sublevel
1 0 1s
3 1 3p
Check Your Understanding
Complete the table below.

n l Kind of
Sublevel

2 0 2s
5 3 5f
4 2 4d
6 1 6p
 Magnetic Quantum Number, ml

• Describes the orientation of the orbital in

space
• Values are –l to +l
• Values per sublevel = 2l +1
 Magnetic Quantum Number, ml
Sublevel l ml
Type (2l + 1)
s 0 0

p 1 -1,0,+1

d 2 -2,-1,0,+1,+2

f 3 -3,-2,-1,0,+1,+2,+3
Check Your Understanding
Complete the table below.

n l Kind of ml
Sublevel (2l+1)

1 0 1s 0
4 3 4f -3,-2,-1,0,+1,+2,+3

3 2 3d -2,-1,0,+1,+2
7 1 7p -1,0,+1,
 Spin Quantum Number, ms
• Direction the electron is spinning
• Values are +1/2 and -1/2
• Clockwise and Counterclockwise
• Opposite spins because of Pauli Exclusion
Principle
 Spin Quantum Number, ms
• Values are +1/2 and -1/2

-3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3 ms = -1/2

-3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3 ms = +1/2

 Check Your Understanding
Quantum Numbers
• Which of the following sets of Quantum
Number is NOT possible? Write possible or
impossible and justify your answer.
a. n=2, l=1 Possible
b. ml= -2, ms= +1/2 Possible
c. n=1, ml=+1 impossible
 Electron Configurations

• Electron configurations tells us in

which orbitals the electrons for an
element are located.
• Three rules:
–Aufbau Principle
–Pauli Exclusion Principle
–Hund’s rule
 The Aufbau Principle
• Each electron occupies the lowest energy orbital
available
• electrons fill orbitals starting with lowest n and
moving upwards;
• also known as the “building-up” principle,
states that electron's occupy orbitals in
order of increasing energy.
• Like filling the hotel from the bottom up
Filling Diagram for Sublevels
Aufbau Principle
 Aufbau Diagram

Which has a lower energy level 4s or 3d orbitals?

Filling the Orbitals in the correct order
 Pauli Exclusion Principle
• A maximum of two electrons may
occupy a single orbital
• no two electrons can fill one
orbital with the same spin
• Like only two people sharing one
hotel room
 Pauli Exclusion Principle
1. Consider the electron configuration of Lithium: 1s2 2s1

Orbital diagram:

not
1s 2s 1s 2s

2. Consider the electron configuration of Sodium: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1

Orbital diagram:

____ ___ ____ ____ ____ ____

1s 2s 2px 2py 2pz 3s
 Hund’s Rule
• If two or more orbitals of equal energy are
available, electrons will occupy them singly
with the same spin, before filling them in pairs
with opposite spins
• A spin is denoted with an up or down 
arrow to fill orbitals
• This is like trying to find your own room in the
same suite before having to share a room with
someone else
 Hund’s Rule
When electrons enter a sublevel with more than one
orbital, they will spread out to the available orbitals with the
same spin before pairing.

Example:

Consider the electron configuration of Nitrogen: 1s2 2s2 2p3

Orbital diagram:

N-7: ___ ____ ____ ___ __

1s 2s 2px 2py 2pz
 Writing Electron Configurations
Aufbau diagram for sodium (Na) which has 11 electrons

Na electron configuration1s22s22p63s1
 Electron Configurations
• The electron configuration of an atom is a
shorthand method of writing the location of
electrons by sublevel.
• The sublevel is written followed by a superscript
with the number of electrons in the sublevel.
– If the 2p sublevel contains 2 electrons, it is written 2p2
Filling Diagram for Sublevels
Aufbau Principle
 Writing Electron Configurations
• First, determine how many electrons
are in the atom. Iron has 26
electrons.
• Arrange the energy sublevels
according to increasing energy:
– 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d
…
• Fill each sublevel with electrons
until you have used all the electrons
in the atom:
– Fe: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6
4s2 3d 6
• The sum of the superscripts equals
the atomic number of iron (26)
 Writing Electron Configurations
Example:
Write the electron configuration
of
1. Li-3
• Li-3: 1s2 2s1

2. Na-11
• Na-11: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1
 Check Your Understanding
Write the electron configuration:
1. 17Cl
Answer :
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5
2. Potassium 19K
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1

3. 13Al

Answer:
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1
THANK YOU