ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

m Model of the
ntu Ato
a

m
Qu

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

MELC:
Use quantum numbers to describe an electron in an
atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54).
Objectives:
• Name the four quantum numbers that describe an electron
within an atom.
• Identify the different values each quantum number can have.
• Describe the location of an electron in the atom using
quantum numbers.
• Value the importance of quantum numbers in figuring out an
atom’s electron configuration and where its electrons are
most likely to be found.
ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1
1. Principal Quantum Number

- Determines the energy of an orbital and the orbital

size.
- Is related to the average distance of the electron
from the nucleus in a particular orbital, the larger
the n value, the farther the average distance of the
electron from the nucleus.
- Can have the values: n = 1, 2, 3,

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1
2. Angular Momentum Quantum Number

- Describes the “shape” of the orbitals

- Can have the following values: ℓ = 0, 1, 2, up to n-1.
- Orbitals with the same n and values belong to the
same subshell.
- It is usually designated by letters s, p, d, f, … which
have a historical origin from spectral lines.

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

s Orbitals
All s orbitals are
spherical in shape
but differ in size,
which increases
as the principal
quantum number
increases

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

p Orbitals
• When ℓ = 1, the magnetic quantum number mℓ can have
values of -1, 0, 1. Starting with n = 2 and ℓ = 1, we therefore
have three 2p orbitals: 2px, 2py, and 2pz.

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

d Orbitals and Other Higher Energy
Orbitals

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

 ℓ 0 1 2 3 4 5
Name of Orbital s p d f g h

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

3. Magnetic Quantum Number
• Describes the orientation of the orbital in space.
• Can have the following values:

ℓ value mℓ value
0 0
1 -1, 0, 1
2 -2, -1, 0, 1, 2
3 -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3
ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1
4. Electron Spin Quantum Number

- refers to two different spin

orientations of electrons in a
specified orbital.
- The spin orientations are called
"spin-up" and "spin-down".

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

DIAMAGNETIC
•Materials that do not contain net unpaired spins
and are slightly repelled by a magnet.
PARAMAGNETIC
•Materials that contain unpaired electrons or
spins and are attracted by a magnet.
ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1
A. Give the n and ℓ values for the following
orbitals.
1.2s 6. 7p
2.3d 7. 4s
3.4f 8. 5f
4.1s 9. 9s
5.2p 10. 9d

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

 Relation Between Quantum Numbers and Atomic Orbital
Atomic Orbital
N ℓ mℓ Number of Orbitals
Designations
1 0 0 1 1s
0 0 1 2s
2
1 -1, 0, 1 3 2px, 2py, 2pz
0 0 1 3s
1 -1, 0, 1 3 3px, 3py, 3pz
3
3dxy, 3dyz, 3dxz,
2 -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 5
3dx2 – y2, 3dz2
0 0 1 4s
1 -1, 0, 1 3 4px, 4py, 4pz
4dxy, 4dyz, 4dxz,
2 -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 5
4 4dx2 – y2, 4dz2
4fy(3x2 – y2), 4fz(x2 – y2),
3 -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3 7 4fyz2, 4fz3, 4fxz2,
4fxyz, 4fx(x2 – 3y2)

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

Example 1
1. List the values of n, ℓ,
and mℓ for orbitals in the
6f subshell.
ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1
Example 2
2. What is the total number
of orbitals associated with
the principal quantum
number n = 3?
ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1
Example 3
•Write the four quantum
numbers for an electron
in a 3p orbital.
ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1
For example, the four quantum numbers for a 2s orbital
electron are n = 2, ℓ = 0, mℓ = 0, and ms = +1/2 or -1/2. It is
inconvenient to write out all the individual quantum
numbers, and so we use the simplified notation (n, ℓ, mℓ,
ms). For the preceding example, the quantum numbers are
either (2, 0, 0, +1/2) or (2, 0, 0, -1/2). The value of ms has no
effect on the energy, size, shape, or orientation of an orbital,
but it determines how electrons are arranged in an orbital.

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

 VALID OR INVALID
1. (1, 0, 0, 1)
2. (4, -1, 0, ½)
3. (1, 0, 1, 0)
4. (2, 3, 1, ½)
5. (2, 0, 0, ½)
6. (5, 0, 0, ½)
7. (4, 4, 3, ½)
8. (2, 1, -2, ½)
9. (3, 1, -1, -½)
10.(3, 2, -1, -½)

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1

ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1
ISNHS-SHS-STEM /STEM-General Chemistry General Chemistry 1