Quantum Numbers

According to the Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, it is impossible that both the

energy and position of an electron can be known at the same time. Thus, as we know
more about the electron’s energy, we know less about its position, and vice versa.

Bohr’s model of the hydrogen atom suggests that the electron orbits the nucleus
like our solar system (e.g. the planets around the sun). However, the quantum mechanical
description of the hydrogen atom has proven that the Bohr’s model of electrons is
incorrect. It states that we don’t know exactly where the electron is, but with high
probability, we can conclude that the electron is most likely to be found in an orbital. In
this lesson, you should be able to describe the electrons (e -) in orbitals using the four
quantum numbers.

All electrons have four quantum numbers which describe the location of electrons
in the electron cloud of an atom and can be used to determine the electron configuration
of an atom. According to the Pauli Exclusion Principle, each electron in an atom has an
exclusive set of quantum numbers and no two electrons can have the same combination
of four quantum numbers.
1. Principal Quantum Number
The principal quantum number, n, describes the energy of an electron. It
refers to the energy level and the size of the orbital an electron is likely to be found.
The value of n starts from 1 to the shell containing the outermost electron of that
atom. The larger the value of n, the greater is the energy and the larger is the
orbital. The group of orbitals with the same value of n is called an electron shell.
All the orbitals that have n = 2, for example, are said to be in the second shell.
Carbon is in the second period of the periodic table, so, its outermost
electron is in the shell with an energy level 2. Therefore, an electron in Carbon can
have an n value from 1 to 2.

2. Angular/Azimuthal Quantum Number

In chemistry, the angular quantum number, ℓ , defines the shape of an
atomic orbital. It also strongly influences bond angles and chemical bonds. It is
defined in chemistry that if ℓ = 0, it is called an s orbital, ℓ = 1 is a p orbital, ℓ = 2 a
d orbital, and ℓ = 3 an f orbital. The first p orbital (ℓ = 1) is in the second electron
shell (n = 2), the first d orbital (ℓ = 2) is in the third shell (n = 3), and so on. The set
of orbitals that have the same n and l values is called a subshell.

3. Magnetic Quantum Number

The magnetic quantum number (m l) describes the orientation of the
orbital in space and can have integral values between - ℓ and ℓ, including
zero.
For example, the p subshell (ℓ = 1) contains three orbitals, so the mℓ of an
electron in a p subshell will be −1, 0, or 1.

The outermost electron of Carbon is in a 2p subshell. This means that for

that electron, n=2 and ℓ = 1. Since ℓ = 1, we can conclude that there are three
2p orbitals in this subshell because there are three values of ml, given by -1, 0,
and 1.
4. Spin Quantum Number
Individual electrons within an orbital has a property represented by the
spin quantum number. Each orbital may hold up to two electrons with opposite
spin directions. Electrons are not really spinning in a physical sense, this is just a
representation of the idea that there are two possible values for the spin quantum
number. When an electron is assigned to spin up, it is represented by an upward
arrow and a value of +1/2. If an electron is spinning down, it is represented by a
downward arrow and a value of -1/2.

Figure 3. Representation of the Spin

Quantum Number values