Scribd
Upload
25 views

TUTORIAL 33 Quantum Numbers

1. There are four quantum numbers that describe electrons in an atom: principal (n), azimuthal (l), magnetic (m), and spin (s). 2. The principal quantum number (n) indicates the main energy level of the electron. The azimuthal quantum number (l) specifies the subshell within that level. The magnetic quantum number (m) gives the orientation of orbitals within that subshell. The spin quantum number (s) describes the spin of the electron. 3. Together, the four quantum numbers uniquely define an electron in an atom and provide information about its location, energy, orbital type, and orientation.

Uploaded by

DYES Motion Graphics
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
25 views

TUTORIAL 33 Quantum Numbers

1. There are four quantum numbers that describe electrons in an atom: principal (n), azimuthal (l), magnetic (m), and spin (s). 2. The principal quantum number (n) indicates the main energy level of the electron. The azimuthal quantum number (l) specifies the subshell within that level. The magnetic quantum number (m) gives the orientation of orbitals within that subshell. The spin quantum number (s) describes the spin of the electron. 3. Together, the four quantum numbers uniquely define an electron in an atom and provide information about its location, energy, orbital type, and orientation.

Uploaded by

DYES Motion Graphics
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 14

TUTORIAL 33

UNIT 2

STRUCTURE OF ATOM
QUANTUM NUMBERS

By S.J.C.
Pre-concept: (check the video for animation and detail explanation)
■ Why line spectra are obtained:

n=2
n=1

Radiation of
certain frequency released
QUANTUM NUMBERS
■ Quantum numbers may be defined as a set of four numbers with the help of which
we can get all the information about all electrons in an atom.
■ The information are:
a) Location of electrons
b) Energy of electrons
c) Type of orbitals to which electrons belong
d) Shape of orbitals
e) Orientation of orbital etc.

■ The four quantum numbers are:


1. Principal quantum number
2. Azimuthal quantum number
3. Magnetic quantum number
4. Spin quantum number
1. Principal quantum number (n)
■ Principal quantum number gives the main energy level or shell to which the electron
belongs. It is denoted by n. n= 1,2,3,4,5……..etc. but n≠0
■ The main energy shell represented by principal quantum numbers are as follows-
Principal quantum number Main energy shells
(n)
1 K shell
2 L shell
3 M shell
4 N shell
5 O shell
6 P shell
■ The energy of various energy shells are as follows-
K<L<M<N<O<P….
Or, n=1< n=2< n=3 < n=4 <n=5 < n=6….
Significance of principal quantum numbers
■ It gives the average distance of the electron from the nucleus.
■ It gives the size of an atom
■ It helps to explain the main lines of spectrum on the basis of the electronic jumps
between these shells

n=3
M
n=2
L
n=1
K
2. Azimuthal quantum number (l)
■ Azimuthal quantum number indicates the sub-shell present inside the main shell. It
is denoted by l.
■ l values started from zero and ended with (n-1), i.e. l= 0,1,2,3,4………(n-1).
■ The sub-shells related to azimuthal quantum numbers are as follows-
l=0 (s-sub-shell)
l=1 (p-sub-shell)
l=2 (d-sub-shell)
l=3 (f- sub-shell)
Thus, within the main energy shell (denoted by principal quantum number)
there are a number of sub-shell or sub energy shells.
■ the numbers of sub shell present in the main energy shell can be obtained by the
following table-

Principal quantum Azimuthal quantum Subshell


number (n) number (l)
or main energy shell From 0 to (n-1)
n=1,2,3,4….
1 0 s
0 s
2
1 p

0 s

3 1 p

2 d

0 s
1 p
4
2 d
3 f
n=1 n=2 n=3 n=4

nucleus

s sp spd spdf

■ n=1 (K-shell) has only one subshell (l=0) that is s-subshell.


■ n=2 (L-shell) has two subshell (l=0,1) that are s-subshell and p-subshell.
■ n=3 (M-shell) has three subshell (l=0,1,2) that are s-subshell, p sub-shell and d-sub-
shell.
■ n=4 (N-shell) has four subshell (l=0,1,2,4) that are s-subshell, p sub-shell, d-sub-
shell and f sub-shell
■ Energy of different sub-shells are in the order: s < p < d < f
Significance of azimuthal quantum numbers
■ It gives the number of sub-shell present in the main energy shell.
■ It gives the angular momentum of the electron present in the sub-shell.
■ It gives the relative energy of the sub-shell.
■ The most important is it gives the various shapes of the subshell present within the
same principal shell
3. Magnetic quantum number (m or ml)
■ This quantum number is required to explain the fact that when the source producing
the line spectrum is placed in a magnetic field, each spectral line splits up into a
number of lines (Zeeman effect). This magnetic quantum determines the orientation
of the electrons present in the sub-shell.
■ Magnetic quantum number is denoted by m or ml.
■ m value starts from –l and ended with +l.
■ For example:
if l=0, then m=0
if l=1, then m= -1, 0, +1
if l=2, then m= -2, -1, 0, +1, +2
Values of m by latest conventions:
Principal Azimuthal Magnetic Orbital Example of orbital
quantum quantum quantum number
number number (l) (m)
(n)

1 0 0 s 1s

0 0 s 2s
2
1 -1, 0, +1 py, pz, px 2py, 2pz, 2px

0 0 s 3s

3 1 -1, 0, +1 py, pz, px 3py, 3pz, 3px

2 -2, -1, 0, +1, dxy, dyz, dz2, dzx, dx2-y2 3dxy, 3dyz, 3dz2, 3dzx, 3dx2-y2
+2
■ s-subshell has only one orientation and hence there only one s-orbital present in one
subshell.
■ p-subshells have three orientation and hence there are three p-orbitals in one p-
subshell.
■ d-subshells have five orientations and hence there are five d-orbitals in one d-
subshell.
■ DEGENERATE ORBITALS: The three p-orbitals have the same energy. Similarly, the
five d-orbitals have same energy. They are called degenerate orbitals.

Significance of magnetic quantum numbers


■ It gives the orientation of orbital that the electron belongs.
■ It gives the total number of orbitals present in the sub-shell.
4. Spin quantum number (s or ms)
■ Electrons in an orbital not only moves around the nucleus but also spin about its
own axis. Spin quantum number give the information of direction of spin in their
orbitals.
■ It is denoted by s or ms.
■ An electron can spin either in clockwise direction or in anticlockwise direction as
shown in the figure.
■ Hence, spin quantum numbers have only two values, s=+1/2 and s= -1/2

Clockwise spin
Anti clockwise spin
■ Due to the two opposite value +1/2 and -1/2, only two electrons can accommodate
in one orbital. They can cancel out their values. It will be discuss in later.

Significance of spin quantum numbers


■ It gives the information about the spin of electron in their orbital
■ It helps in the explanation of magnetic properties of substance. (paramagnetic or
diamagnetic, which will discuss later)

You might also like