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S Orbital (L 0) P Orbital (L 1) D Orbital (L 2) : Quantum Numbers

The document discusses electron configuration and the quantum numbers that describe atomic orbitals and electrons. It provides the following key points: - There are four quantum numbers that fully describe an electron: principal (n), angular momentum (l), magnetic (ml), and spin (ms). The first three describe the size, shape, and orientation of an electron's orbital, while ms describes its spin. - Orbitals are filled according to the aufbau principle, from lowest to highest energy. Hund's rule states that electrons occupy all orbitals of the same energy with parallel spins before pairing. - Electron configuration notation shows the distribution of electrons among orbitals using the aufbau principle and Hund's

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61 views

S Orbital (L 0) P Orbital (L 1) D Orbital (L 2) : Quantum Numbers

The document discusses electron configuration and the quantum numbers that describe atomic orbitals and electrons. It provides the following key points: - There are four quantum numbers that fully describe an electron: principal (n), angular momentum (l), magnetic (ml), and spin (ms). The first three describe the size, shape, and orientation of an electron's orbital, while ms describes its spin. - Orbitals are filled according to the aufbau principle, from lowest to highest energy. Hund's rule states that electrons occupy all orbitals of the same energy with parallel spins before pairing. - Electron configuration notation shows the distribution of electrons among orbitals using the aufbau principle and Hund's

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CHEM1907/8 Lecture 4.

The Periodic Table: Electron Configuration

Lecture Notes (17/03/03)

Quantum Numbers of an Atomic Orbital (Silberberg, Chpt 7)


An atomic orbital is specified by three quantum numbers. One is related to the size of the orbital, one to its shape and one
to its orientation in space.
The principal quantum number (n) is a positive integer (n = 1,2 3 etc), which specifies the size of the orbital.
The angular momentum quantum number (l) is an integer from 0 to n 1. It is related to the shape of the orbital and is
sometimes called the orbital-shape quantum number. The value of n limits the value of l; e.g., if n = 2, l = 0 and 1.
The magnetic quantum number (ml) is an integer from l through 0 to +l. It describes the orientation of the orbital
around the nucleus.

s orbital (l = 0)
d orbital (l = 2)
p orbital (l = 1)
(ml = 0)
(ml = 2, 1, 0, 1, 2)
(ml = 1, 0, 1)
For an s orbital, there is only one way (ml = 0) the orbital can orientate about the nucleus. Of the three p orbitals (ml = 1,
0, 1), one is orientated along the x axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, one along the y axis and one along the z axis
(ie, the orbitals are mutually perpendicular). Note that the axis designations are not associated with any particular value
of ml. There are five d orbitals (ml = 2, 1, 0, 1, 2), which are oriented about the nucleus as shown below.
What the orbitals looks like.

The Electron-Spin Quantum Number.


An additional quantum number is needed to describe a property of the
electron: its spin, which is not a property of the orbital. The spin quantum
number (ms) describes the direction of the electron spin about its own
axis and can have one of two possible values: + or .
Therefore, each electron in an atom is described completely by a set of
four quantum numbers: the first three (n, l, ml) describe the size, the
shape and the orientation, respectively, of the orbital housing the
electron and the last quantum number (ms), describes the electron spin.
Since ms can only have two values (+ or ) and the Pauli exclusion
principle must be upheld (no two electrons in the same atom can be
described by the same four quantum numbers), we can conclude that no
orbital can house more than two electrons. Helium, for example (Z = 2),
2
has an electron configuration written as 1s (ie, both electrons are in the
1s orbital) but each electron is described by a unique set of four quantum
numbers (electron 1: n = 1, l = 0, ml = 0, ms = +; electron 2: : n = 1, l =
0, ml = 0, ms = ), in accordance with the Pauli exclusion principle.

Quantum Numbers Hierarchy

Quantum Numbers
n

size

shape

ml

0
1

orientation

2 1

ms

e spin

NB All the blue numbers will have a ms (+, )


branch, as shown for n = 1, l = 0, ml = 0.

There are three categories of electrons:


Inner (core) electrons are those in the previous noble gas and any completed transition series. They fill all the lower
energy levels of an atom.

Outer electrons are those in the highest energy level (highest n value). They spend most of their time farthest away from
the nucleus.
Valence electrons are those involved in forming compounds. Among the main-group elements, the valence electrons are
the outer electrons. Among the transition elements, some inner d electrons are also often involved in bonding and are
counted among the valence electrons.
Electron Configuration (Silberberg, Sect. 8.2)
In the aufbau method of filling energy levels, one electron is added to each successive element in accord with the Pauli
exclusion principle (no two electrons can have the same set of four quantum numbers) and Hunds rule (orbitals of equal
energy become half filled, with electron spins parallel, before any pairing occurs).
Hunds Rule. When electrons are places in a set of orbitals of equal energy (DEGENERATE), they are arranged to give
the maximum number of unpaired electrons. It follows that electrons must occupy all the orbitals of a given sublevel (with
parallel spins) before pairing begins (opposite spins). Stated another way, Hunds Rule dictates that the state of
maximum spin multiplicity is preferred in an atom.
Hunds rule in practice: Consider the electron configuration of nitrogen (N, Z = 7).

1s

N (Z = 7)

2s

2p

1s2

2s2

2p3

Pauli Exclusion Principle. No two electrons in a atom can have the same four quantum numbers. It follows that there
can only be two electrons in one orbital.
is not allowed, since
ms = +
is allowed, since ms = +
ms = +
ms =
Aufbau Principle. The Aufbau principle (aufbauen is German for to build up) dictates that the electron configuration of
an element is built up from the orbital of lowest energy to orbitals at higher energies.
Orbital Occupancy for the First 10 Elements

The First Transition Series


Z

Symbol

e Config (Atom)

eConfig (3+ ion)

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Sc
Ti
V
Cr
Mn
Fe
Co
Ni
Cu
Zn

[Ar]3d14s2
[Ar]3d24s2
[Ar]3d34s2
[Ar]3d54s1
[Ar]3d54s2
[Ar]3d64s2
[Ar]3d74s2
[Ar]3d84s2
[Ar]3d104s1
[Ar]3d104s2

[Ar]
[Ar]3d1
[Ar]3d2
[Ar]3d3
[Ar]3d4
[Ar]3d5
[Ar]3d6
[Ar]3d7
[Ar]3d8

When the orbitals are close in energy (eg 3d and 4s), there is a
special stability for filled and half-filled orbitals; eg configurations
for Cr and Cu seem anomalous. This does not happen with the
3s/3p and 4s/4p orbitals since they are not close in energy

Draw up a square grid where the


principal quantum number
(n = 1,2,3 4 etc) appears
on the y-axis and the type
1
of orbital (l = s, p, d, f etc)
appears on the x-axis.
2

Type of Orbital

Write the name


of the orbital in
each box, as shown.

Electron Configuration
g

1s
2s

2p

3s

3p

3d

4s

4p

4d

4f

5s

5p

5d

5f

To write the orbitals in the correct order (from lowest energy to


highest energy), take the point at the upper right-hand side
corner of the square labeled 1s (marked with the red circle) S

Trace your pen diagonally through the


1s box. Where your pen has crossed
through the box, write the name of the
orbital written in the box as the next
orbital to be filled (ie 1s).
Next, take your pen to the
upper right-hand-side corner
of the box next to the 1s
orbital ( ). Again, draw a
diagonal line through the
boxes. The boxes which have
been dissected by the line are
next in order (ie, 2s).

Principal Quantum No

An easy way.

Principal Quantum No

Electron Configuration

Type of Orbital

1s

2s

2p

3s

3p

3d

4s

4p

4d

4f

5s

5p

5d

5f

Next, take your pen to the upper right-hand side corner of the box next to
the previous box ( ) and repeat the process. This leads to the following
order of orbitals.

1s

2s

2p

3s

3p

4s

3d

4p

5s

Rachel Codd

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