SHS

General Chemistry 1
Activity Sheet
Quarter 2 – MELC 1
Week 1
Quantum Mechanical Description
of Electrons

REGION VI – WESTERN VISAYAS

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General Chemistry 1
Activity Sheet No. 1: Quantum Mechanical Description of Electrons
First Edition, 2020

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Introductory Message
Welcome to General Chemistry 1!

The Learning Activity Sheet is a product of the collaborative efforts of the

Schools Division of Cadiz City and DepEd Regional Office VI - Western Visayas
through the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD). This is
developed to guide the learning facilitators (teachers, parents and responsible
adults) in helping the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Basic Education
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The Learning Activity Sheet is self-directed instructional materials aimed to

guide the learners in accomplishing activities at their own pace and time using the
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The General Chemistry 1 Activity Sheet will help you facilitate the leaching-
learning activities specified in each Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC) with
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to the learners with the references/links to ease the independent learning.

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The General Chemistry 1 Activity Sheet is developed to help you continue learning
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engaging activities for independent learning. Being an active learner, carefully read and
understand the instructions then perform the activities and answer the assessments. This
will be returned to your facilitator on the agreed schedule.

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Name of Learner:____________________________________________________
Grade and Section:___________________________________Date: __________

General Chemistry 1 Activity Sheet No. 1

Quantum Mechanical Description of Electrons
I. Learning Competency with Code
Use quantum numbers to describe an electron in an atom
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

Support Competencies:
1. Identify the 4 quantum numbers used to quantum mechanically describe an
electron
2. Determine the possible values of a quantum number given the value of other
quantum numbers
3. Identify the subshell location of an electron given a set of quantum numbers

II. Background Information for Learners

Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle states that it is not possible to determine

both the momentum (angular velocity) and the position of a particle (such as an
electron) at the same time. The more certain you are of one value, the more uncertain
you are of the other.
In Grade 9, you have learned about the Bohr’s Model where an electron can
be visualized as a moving “particle” in an orbit around the nucleus of an atom. The
model, however, is primitive and less dependable since it was found out that electrons
behave both as a “particle” and a “wave”. Thus, it does not move around a steady
circular orbit but in a region of 3-Dimensional shape. The modern day model of an
atom is called “cloud model” or “quantum model” which is grounded on Heisenberg’s
Uncertainty Principle. The illustration below compares the two models.

e- e- e- e-
e- Not an exact location
r e- e- e- e- of the electron but the
e- e- e- e-
probability density of
electron position. Also
e- e- known as “electron
e- e- e-
e- cloud”
e-
e-
Fig. 1: Bohr’s Model Fig. 2: Quantum/Cloud Model

THE FOUR QUANTUM NUMBERS

Erwin Schrodinger, the physicist who introduced the Wave Theory, together with
other scientists found out that a set of numbers are needed to describe the three-
dimensional coordinates of an electron in the atomic orbitals of a hydrogen atom.
These numbers are called QUANTUM NUMBERS.

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 Principal Quantum Number • This represents the energy level of the
(n) electron in question.
• When n = 1, the electron is on 1st energy
level, and so on.
• The larger the “n” value, the higher the
energy level, the farther is the electron
from the nucleus and the bigger is the
atom.
Angular Momentum Quantum • Tells us the Atomic Orbital Shape.
Number or the Azimuthal QN • Each principal number is called a shell
(ℓ) which is a collection of orbitals
containing electron of the same energy
level.
• Within each shell is a subshell which is
a subdivision of orbitals following a
specific electron cloud shape.
• There are four known subshells s, p, d
and f.
• These subshells are designated to the
value of ℓ.
• The values of ℓ range from 0 to (n – 1).
So if n = 2, then ℓ can be either equal to
0 or 1.
Value of ℓ Subshell No. of Orbitals
0 s 2
1 p 3
2 d 5
3 f 7
Magnetic Quantum Number • Tells about the orientation of the atomic
(mℓ) orbitals along the xyz plane (a three-
dimensional coordinate plane).
• The range of valuesfor mℓ = - ℓ, ..., 0,…,+
ℓ.
• So if ℓ = 1, then mℓ = -1, 0, +1.
• Notice that there are three values for mℓ .
It means that in the p-subshell (ℓ = 1)
there are 3 orbitals with different
orientations along the xyz plane.
• One orbital is oriented towards mℓ = -1,
another on mℓ = 0, and another towards
mℓ = +1.
Spin Quantum Number • Gilbert Lewis had first proposed that
(ms) electrons in an orbital come in pairs.
• However, these electrons cannot have
the same set of Quantum Numbers as it
was found out that pairs of electrons
have different angular momentum as an
effect of magnetic field created by two
spinning electrons.

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 • This quantum number describes the spin
or angular momentum of the electron pair
in an orbital.
• The spin of electrons can only be either
in clockwise of counterclockwise
direction, or up spin and down spin and
represented by numbers +1/2 and -1/2.
(more of this explanation in the next
lesson on electron configuration).

Orbital Shapes

Numbers and letters are used to name subshells.

Example:
2p Subshell

Principal QN Azimuthal
(n) = 2 QN (ℓ) = 1

Summary Table of the Possible Values of 4 Quantum Numbers

Table from https://courses.lumenlearning.com

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III. Activity Proper

Activity 1

Directions: Write down the possible values of the missing quantum number. Write
your answer on a sheet of paper.

n ℓ mℓ ms

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

4 +1/2, -1/2

2 +1/2, -1/2

1 +1/2, -1/2

Activity 2

Directions: Read and understand the situations below and answer the question that
follows. Write your answer on a sheet of paper.

1. Write down the possible values of n, ℓ, and mℓ for an electron in the 2p

subshell.

n ℓ mℓ

2. How many orbitals can be associated with n=3?

______________________________________________________________

3. Can an electron be described by the following set of quantum numbers? If not,

identify which quantum number value is invalid, and briefly explain why: n=2,
ℓ=2, mℓ=0, ms= -1/2
______________________________________________________________

4. Can an electron be described by the following set of quantum numbers? If not,

identify which quantum number value is invalid, and briefly explain why: n=4,
ℓ=2, mℓ=2, ms= -1/2
______________________________________________________________

5. Can an electron be described by the following set of quantum numbers? If not,

identify which quantum number value is invalid, and briefly explain why: n=4,
ℓ= -3, mℓ=4, ms= +1/2
______________________________________________________________

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Activity 3: Given the following set of quantum numbers, identify the Subshell in which
the electron is located. If one of the value makes the set of numbers invalid, write
“INVALID” on the column for Subshells. The first one is done for you.

n ℓ mℓ Subshell
2 0 0 2s
3 1 1
2 1 -2
4 3 -1
1 0 1
4 5 -3

IV. Reflection

Complete the statements below.

I understand
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
I don’t understand
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
I need more information about
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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 6
Activity 1
n ℓ mℓ ms
+
3 0,1,2 -2,-1,0,1,2 1/2, -1/2
+
4 0,1,2,3 -3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3 1/2, -1/2
+
2 0,1 -1,0,1 1/2, -1/2
+
1 0 0 1/2, -1/2
Activity 2
1.
n ℓ mℓ
2 0,1 -1,0,1
2. 5 orbitals
3. No, because ℓ=2 is invalid. Possible values of ℓ are -1,0 and 1
4. Yes
5. No, because mℓ= 4 is invalid. Possible values of mℓ are -3,-2,-1,0,1,2, and 3.
Activity 3
n ℓ mℓ Orbital
2 0 0 2s
3 1 1 3p
2 1 -2 invalid
4 3 -1 4f
1 0 1 invalid
4 5 -3 invalid
3 2 2 3d
1 0 0 1s
2 1 0 2p
4 3 -4 invalid
V. Answer Key
VI. Links and/or Other References

Moore, John, Conrad Stanitski, Peter Jurs, Mark Cracolice, and Ed Peters.
"Beyond The Bohr Model: The Quantum Mechanical Model Of The
Atom." In General Chemistry 1, 138-149. Manila: Rex Bookstore Inc.,
2019.

"Quantum Numbers for Atoms." Chemistry LibreTexts. Last modified August 15, 2020.
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook
_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Quantum_Mech
anics/10%3A_Multi-electron_Atoms/Quantum_Numbers_for_Atoms.

"Quantum Numbers | Introduction to Chemistry." Lumen Learning – Simple Book Production.

Accessed November 12, 2020.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introchem/chapter/quantum-numbers/.

"What is Hybridization in Organic Chemistry." Info-Science (blog). February 10, 2016.

https://theinfoscience.blogspot.com/2016/02/what-is-hybridization-in-organic.html.