What are the three quantum numbers used to describe an orbital?
Question: What are the three quantum numbers used to describe an orbital?
The three quantum numbers used to describe an orbital are:
- Principal quantum number (n): This quantum number describes the energy level of the orbital. The higher the value of n, the higher the energy level of the orbital.
- Azimuthal quantum number (l): This quantum number describes the shape of the orbital. The value of l can be 0, 1, 2, ..., n-1. The different values of l correspond to different orbital shapes, such as s, p, d, and f orbitals.
- Magnetic quantum number (m): This quantum number describes the orientation of the orbital in space. The value of m can range from -l to l.
These three quantum numbers can be used to uniquely identify any orbital in an atom.
Here is a table that shows the different possible values of the three quantum numbers and the corresponding orbital shapes:
n | l | m | Orbital shape |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1s |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2s |
2 | 1 | -1, 0, 1 | 2px, 2py, 2pz |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3s |
3 | 1 | -1, 0, 1 | 3px, 3py, 3pz |
3 | 2 | -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 | 3dxy, 3dyz, 3dxz, 3dzz, 3dx^2-y^2 |
The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of quantum numbers. This means that each orbital can only be occupied by two electrons, one with each spin state.
The three quantum numbers are essential for understanding the electronic structure of atoms and molecules. They are also used to explain the properties of materials, such as electrical conductivity and optical absorption.
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