7/18/2024

Atomic structure

Objectives
• Describe the structure of an atom
• State the properties and localisation of subatomic particles
• Describe the proton number and mass number
• Describe atomic shells, subshells and orbitals
• State the electron distribution in selected elements (C, H, O,
N, P, Na, Cl)

• An atom is the smallest particle of an element which

takes part in a chemical reaction

1
 7/18/2024

•The phrase
•‘atomic structure’
means
•‘structure of an atom’

• structure
• refers to the arrangement or organization of parts….

• ‘parts of an atom’
= subatomic articles
i. Neutrons
ii. Protons
iii. Electron

2
 7/18/2024

Properties of subatomic particles

• Protons and neutrons reside in the atomic nucleus

• They account for almost all of the mass of the atom.

3
 7/18/2024

• The number of protons present in an atom’s nucleus,

is the atom’s atomic number,

• determines the identity of that atom as an element.

•Neutrons have no charge and thus do not affect

an atom’s overall charge

•Protons and electrons both possess electrical

charges.

Location of electron
•Specific spaces called
shells
•Depicted as concentric
circles around the
nucleus
•Each circle is called an
energy level

4
 7/18/2024

•Energy levels can

also be assigned
alphabetical letters,
K, L, M, etc.
•Each shell/energy
level can only a
specific maximum
number of
electrons.

•The further the shell from

the nucleus, the higher the
energy.

•For stability, electrons prefer

to be in the shell with the
lowest energy, as much as
possible.

• Electrons fill shells from

the inside to the outside
• The first shell can hold
only two electrons.
• The second electron shell
can hold up to eight
electrons

5
 7/18/2024

•Placing an electron in a shell that

is closer to the nucleus is more
stable and more favorable than
placing an electron in a shell that
is farther from the nucleus.

• Each shell consists of orbitals.

• Each orbital can hold up to two
electrons.
• Orbitals describe the probability
of finding an electron in a given
region of space.
• i.e the 3D areas around the
nucleus of an atom where a
particular electron resides

6
 7/18/2024

• Orbitals are classified based on

their shape;
“s” orbitals are spheres that
surround the nucleus,
whereas
“p” orbitals are dumbbell-
shaped, with two lobes that
lie on opposite sides of the
nucleus.

Electron configuration
• Describes how electrons are distributed in its atomic
orbitals.

• Electron configurations of atoms follow a standard

notation.

• All electron-containing atomic subshells are placed

in a sequence.
• the number of electrons they hold are written in
superscript.

7
 7/18/2024

Distribution of electrons in orbitals of selected elements

• Hydrogen;
Atomic number 1.
1 electron, which will be placed in the s subshell
of the first shell/orbit.
The electron configuration of hydrogen is 1s1

• Oxygen;
Atomic number 8.
8 electrons, which will be placed in the first two
shells.
The electron configuration of oxygen
is 1s2 2s2 2p4

ELECTRON ELECTRON
ATOMIC
ELEMENT CONFIGURATION CONFIGURATION
NUMBER
(Shorthand)
Hydrogen 1 1s1 1s1
Helium 2 1s2 1s2
Carbon 6 1s2 2s2 2p2 [He]2s22p2
Nitrogen 7 1s2 2s2 2p3 [He]2s22p3
Oxygen 8 1s2 2s2 2p4 [He]2s22p4
Sodium 11 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 [Ne]3s1
Phosphorus 15 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3 [Ne]3s23p3
Sulfur 16 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4 [Ne]3s23p4
Chlorine 17 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5 [Ne]3s23p5

8
 7/18/2024

Quantum Numbers

•A set of numbers used to describe the position and

energy of the electron in an atom.

•There are four quantum numbers, namely,

1. Principal quantum number
2. Azimuthal quantum number
3. Magnetic quantum number
4. Spin quantum number

Principal quantum number

• denoted by the symbol ‘n’.

• can be any integer with a positive value that is equal to

or greater than 1

• n=1 denotes the innermost electron shell of an atom

9
 7/18/2024

• When a given electron is

excited, it can jump from one
principle shell to a higher shell,
• causing an increase in the value
of n.

• Similarly, when electrons lose

energy, they jump back into
lower shells
• the value of n decreases.

Azimuthal quantum number

• A.k.a ‘orbital angular momentum’

• Denoted by the symbol ‘l’

• Describes the shape of a given orbital

• The value is equal to the total number of angular

nodes in the orbital

• This values depends on the value of the principal

quantum number,
• i.e. the value of the azimuthal quantum number ranges
between 0 and (n-1).

10
 7/18/2024

• For example,
• if n =3, the azimuthal quantum number
can take on the following values – 0,1,
and 2.
• When l=0, the resulting subshell is an
‘s’ subshell.
• when l=1 resulting subshell is ‘p’ and ‘d’
subshells
• When and l=2, the resulting subshell ‘d’
subshell

• Therefore, when n=3, the three

possible subshells are 3s, 3p, and 3d.

Magnetic quantum number

• Denoted by the symbol ‘ml’

• Value is dependent on the value of the azimuthal

quantum number.

• For a given value of l, the value of ml ranges between the

interval -l to +l.

• Therefore, it indirectly depends on the value of n.

11
 7/18/2024

•For example, if n = 4 and l = 3 in an atom,

•the possible values of the magnetic quantum
number are -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, and +3.

Spin quantum number

• Denoted by the symbol ms

• Independent of the values of n, l, and ml

• The value gives insight into the direction in which the electron
is spinning

• The possible values of the electron spin quantum

number are +½ and -½

• positive value of ms implies an upward spin and is denoted

by the symbol ↑.

• negative value of ms implies a downward spin, or a ‘spin

down’, which is given by the symbol ↓

12
 7/18/2024

Shells, Subshells, and Orbitals

Shells:

 Shells (or energy levels) are layers around the

nucleus where electrons are likely to be found.

 They are designated by principal quantum numbers

(n=1, 2, 3,...).

 The capacity of each shell to hold electrons is given

by the formula 2n2

Subshells

 Subshells are subdivisions of shells, designated by the azimuthal

quantum number (l), which can take values from 0 to (n-1).

 Subshells are labeled as s, p, d, and f:

o s-subshell (l=0): Can hold 2 electrons.

o p-subshell (l=1): Can hold 6 electrons.

o d-subshell (l=2): Can hold 10 electrons.

o f-subshell (l=3): Can hold 14 electrons.

13
 7/18/2024

Orbitals:

Orbitals are regions within subshells where there is a high probability

of finding an electron.

Each type of subshell has a specific number of orbitals:

o s-orbital: 1 orbital.

o p-orbital: 3 orbitals.

o d-orbital: 5 orbitals.

o f-orbital: 7 orbitals.

Each orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons with opposite spins.

•The total number of orbitals in a given subshell is a

function of the ‘l’ value of that orbital.

•It is given by the formula (2l + 1).

•For example, the ‘3d’ subshell

•n=3, l=2
•Number of orbitals = 2l + 1 =2*2 + 1 = 5
•Each orbital can accommodate 2 electrons.
•Therefore, the 3d subshell can hold a total of 10
electrons.

14
 7/18/2024

Subshells

 Subshells are subdivisions of shells, designated by the azimuthal

quantum number (l),

 Subshells are labeled as s, p, d, and f:

o s-subshell (l=0): Can hold 2 electrons.

o p-subshell (l=1): Can hold 6 electrons.

o d-subshell (l=2): Can hold 10 electrons.

o f-subshell (l=3): Can hold 14 electrons.

• Each type of subshell has a specific number of orbitals:

o s-orbital: 1 orbital.

o p-orbital: 3 orbitals.

o d-orbital: 5 orbitals.

o f-orbital: 7 orbitals.

• Remember, each orbital can hold a maximum of 2

electrons with opposite spins.

Key principles or rules guiding

electron distribution in atomic
structure

15
 7/18/2024

1. Aufbau Principle
2. Pauli Exclusion Principle
3. Hund's Rule
4. Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

1. Aufbau Principle:
 Aufbau literally means building up or construction

 Aufbau Principle states that an electron occupies

orbitals in order from lowest energy to highest

• Electrons first occupy those orbitals whose energy is the

lowest.

• The order in which the orbitals are filled with electrons

is:
1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s,
5f, 6d, 7p, and so on.

16
 7/18/2024

• The energies of the

sublevels in different
principal energy
levels eventually
begin to overlap.

• E.g 4s sublevel is
slightly lower in
energy than the 3d

•Electrons are added to

atomic orbitals in order,
according to the Aufbau
principle.
• Principle energy levels are
color coded,
• sublevels are grouped
together
• each circle represents an
orbital capable of holding two
electrons

2. Pauli Exclusion Principle

 Each orbital can hold a maximum of two
electrons
 these electrons must have opposite spins.
 This principle ensures that no two electrons in
an atom can have the same set of four
quantum numbers (n, l, ml, and ms).

17
 7/18/2024

 This is represented in an orbital filling

diagram, a square represents an
orbital, while arrows represent
electrons.

 An arrow pointing upward represents

one spin direction, while an arrow
pointing downward represents the
other spin direction.

3. Hund's Rule
 When electrons occupy degenerate orbitals
(orbitals of the same energy), they first fill each
orbital singly with parallel spins before pairing
up.
 This minimizes electron-electron repulsion and
results in a more stable electron configuration.

 All of the electrons in singly occupied orbitals have the same spin
(to maximize total spin)

18
 7/18/2024

4. Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

 It is impossible to simultaneously know

both the exact position and exact
momentum (velocity) of an electron.

This principle implies that electrons are

described in terms of probabilities rather than
exact locations,

Thus leading to the concept of electron clouds or

orbitals where electrons are likely to be found.

19