Lesson 9:

Electronic
Structure
of the Atom
 Goals for today:

1. Use quantum numbers to describe an electron in an

atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54);
2. Determine the magnetic property of the atom
based on its electronic configuration
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-57); and
3. Draw an orbital diagram to represent the electronic
configuration of atoms (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-58).

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

Quantum Numbers
1. principal quantum number, (n)
2. angular quantum number, (ℓ)
3. magnetic quantum number, (mℓ)
4. spin quantum number, (ms)

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

The Principal Quantum Number (n)

a. Determines the energy of an orbital
b. Determines the orbital size
c. 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
d. Can have the values: n = 1, 2, 3, …
e. Orbitals with the same n are said to be in the same
shell.
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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

The Angular Momentum Quantum Number (ℓ)

a. Describes the “shape” of the orbitals
b. Can have the following values: ℓ = 0, 1, 2, up to n-1.
Examples
n value ℓ value
1 0
2 1
3 2

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

c. Orbitals with the same n and values belong to the

same subshell.
d. It is usually designated by letters s, p, d, f, … which
have a historical origin from spectral lines.
The designations are as follows

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

The Magnetic Quantum Number (mℓ)

a. Describes the orientation of the orbital in space
b. Can have the values:
- ℓ, (-ℓ + 1), … 0, … (+ ℓ -1), + ℓ

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

The Electron Spin Quantum Number (ms)

a. The first three quantum numbers describe the energy,
shape and orientation of orbitals. The 4th quantum
number refers to two different spin orientations of
electrons in a specified orbital.

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

b. When lines of the hydrogen spectrum are examined at

very high resolution, they are found to be closely spaced
doublets and called as the Zeeman effect. This splitting
is called fine structure, and was one of the first
experimental evidences for electron spin. The direct
observation of the electron's intrinsic angular
momentum was achieved in the Stern–Gerlach
experiment.

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

c. Uhlenbeck, Goudsmit, and Kronig (1925) introduced

the idea of the self-rotation of the electron. The spin
orientations are called "spin-up" or "spin-down" and is
assigned the number ms = ½ ms = -½, respectively.

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

The four quantum numbers compose the numbers that

describe the electron in an atom. The quantum numbers
shall be in the order: energy level (n), sub-level or
orbital type (ℓ), the orientation of the orbital specified in
ℓ (mℓ), and the orientation of the spin of the electron
(ms). It is written in the order (n, ℓ, mℓ, ms ).

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

For example
1. An electron is found in the first energy level. What is the
allowed set of quantum numbers for this electron?
a. The energy level, n = 1.
b. The orbital type is only s, its designation is 0, thus, ℓ = 0
c. From ℓ, the orbital type is s. There is only one orientation of an
s orbital, designated as 0, thus, mℓ = 0
d. An electron in the 1s orbital can have an up-spin or a down-
spin. Therefore, ms could be +1/2 or -1/2.

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Use quantum numbers to describe an electron
in an atom (STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-54)

So the allowed set of quantum numbers for 1s electron are:

(1,0,0,1/2) and (1,0,0,-1/2).

How does (1,0,0,1/2) differ from (1,0,0,-1/2)?

Answer: The first set corresponds to the electron with spin up and
the second set refers to the electron with spin down.

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 Let’s Try

1. Give the n and ℓ values for the following orbitals

a. 1s Answer: n=1, ℓ = 0

b. 3p Answer: n=3, ℓ = 2

c. 5f Answer: n=5, ℓ = 4

d. 4d
Answer: n=4, ℓ = 3

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 Let’s Try

2. What is the mℓ values for the following types of orbitals?

a. s Answer: mℓ = 0

b. p Answer: mℓ = -1,0,1

c. d Answer: mℓ = -2,-1,0,1,2

d. f Answer: mℓ = -3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3

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 Let’s Try

Which of the following is not a valid set of quantum numbers?

Explain your answer.
a. n = 2, ℓ = 2, mℓ = 0, and ms = -1/2
Answer: ℓ =2 is not allowed, maximum is 1
b. n = 2, ℓ = 1, mℓ = -1, and ms = -1/2
Answer: possible
c. n = 3, ℓ = 0, mℓ = 0, and ms = 1
Answer: ms should only be ½ or -1/2
d. n = 3, ℓ = 2, mℓ = 3, and ms = ½
Answer: mℓ should only be within the values of 2ℓ+1

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 Determine the magnetic property of the atom
based on its electronic configuration
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-57)
ELECTRON CONFIGURATION
The four quantum numbers n, ℓ, mℓ, and ms are very
useful in labelling an electron in any orbital in an atom
much like giving the address of an electron in an atom.

In the case of hydrogen, there is only one electron.

quantum numbers: n = 1, ℓ =0, mℓ = 0, and ms = ½ or -
½
Or written as (1, 0, 0, ½) or (1, 0, 0, -½)
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 Determine the magnetic property of the atom
based on its electronic configuration
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-57)
It is possible to represent this arrangement of the
electron in hydrogen in terms of the
1. electron configuration shows how the electrons of
an atom are distributed among the atomic orbitals.

2. orbital diagram shows the spin of the electron.

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 Determine the magnetic property of the atom
based on its electronic configuration
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-57)
In filling up the orbitals, the lower energy levels are
filled up first before the higher energy levels.
For many-electron atoms, the is used. This states that in
an atom or Pauli Exclusion Principle molecule, no two
electrons can have the same four electronic quantum
numbers.
Consequently, an orbital can contain a maximum of
only two electrons, the two electrons must have
opposing spins. This means if one is assigned an up-
spin (+1/2), the other must be down-spin (-1/2).
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Determine the magnetic property of the atom
based on its electronic configuration
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-57)

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 Let’s Try

1. What are the possible sets of quantum numbers that

can describe a 2p electron in an atom?
Answer: For a 2p electron, n = 2; ℓ = 1; mℓ can be -1,
0, +1; and ms can be ½ or -½.

(2, 1, -1, ½)
(2, 1, -1, -½)
(2, 1, 0, ½)
(2, 1, 0, -½)
(2, 1, 1, ½)
(2, 1, 1, -½) 1-21
 Let’s Try

Give the electron configuration of Li. Give the set of

quantum numbers that describe the outermost electron
in lithium.

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 Let’s Try

Give the electron configuration of B. Draw the orbital

diagram.

Answer: 1s2 2s2 2p1

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 Determine the magnetic property of the atom
based on its electronic configuration
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-57)
HUND’S RULE
The most stable arrangement of electrons in the
subshells is the one with the most number of parallel
spins.

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 Draw an orbital diagram to represent the
electronic configuration of atoms
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-58)
For Carbon, (atomic number =6)
electronic configuration =1s2 2s2 2p2

orbital diagram:
(3 options)

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 Determine the magnetic property of the atom
based on its electronic configuration
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-57)
Pauli’s Exclusion Principle can be tested by simple
observation. Measurements of magnetic properties
provide the most direct evidence for specific electronic
configurations of elements.
Paramagnetic materials are those that contain unpaired
electrons or spins and are attracted by a magnet.
Diamagnetic materials are those with paired spins and
are repelled by a magnet.

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 Determine the magnetic property of the atom
based on its electronic configuration
(STEM_GC11ESIIa-b-57)
Any atom with an odd number of electrons will contain
one or more unpaired spins, and are therefore attracted
by a magnet, thus, can be classified as paramagnetic.

For an even number of electrons like helium, if the two

electrons in the 1s orbitals had parallel spins, their net
magnetic fields should strengthen each other. But
experimental results showed that the helium atom in its
ground state has no net magnetic field. This observation
supports the pairing of two electrons with opposite spins
in the 1s orbital. Thus, helium gas is diamagnetic.
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Assignment

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