Quantum Numbers

Inorganic Chemistry... First Class ... First Semester ... (2019-2020) .. Dr.
Basim Hatim
 Quantum Numbers
1- Principal Quantum Number(n):
n = 1, 2, 3, …, ∞ . Specifies the energy of an electron and the size

of the orbital (the distance from the nucleus to orbital). All orbitals
that have the same value of n are said to be in the same shell
(level). For a hydrogen atom with n=1, the electron is in its ground
state; if the electron is in the n=2 orbital, it is in an excited state.
The total number of orbitals for a given n value is n2. The total
number of electron for a given n value is 2n2.
2- Angular Momentum (Secondary or Azimunthal)

Quantum Number (l):
l = 0, 1, 2, ...., (n-1). Specifies the shape of an orbital with a

particular principal quantum number. The secondary quantum
number divides the shells into smaller groups of orbitals called
subshells (sublevels). Usually, a letter code is used to identify l to
avoid confusion with n:
l 0 1 2 3 4 5 ...
Letter s p d f g h ...
The subshell with n=2 and l=1 is the 2p subshell; if n=3 and l=0, it is the
3s subshell, and so on. The value of l also has a slight effect on them
energy of the subshell; the energy of the subshell increases with l (s < p <
d < f).
* The value of l determines not only the shape of an orbital but also the
amount of orbital angular momentum associated with an electron in it:
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Inorganic Chemistry... First Class ... First Semester ... (2019-2020) .. Dr. Basim Hatim
* An electron in an s orbital (l =0) has no orbital angular momentum, an

electron in a p orbital (l =1) has angular momentum equal to;
And so on. The orbital angular momentum vector has (2 l + 1) possible

directions in space corresponding to the (2 l + 1) possible values of (mℓ)
for a given value of l.
3- Magnetic Quantum Number (ml):
ml = -l, ..., 0, ..., +l. Specifies the orientation of orbital in space or

(the orientation of the angular momentum vector in a magnetic
field). This number divides the subshell into individual orbitals
which hold the electrons; there are 2l+1 orbitals in each subshell.
Thus the s subshell has only one orbital, the p subshell has three
orbitals, and so on.
4- Spin Quantum Number(ms):
ms = +½ or -½. Determines
the orientation of the electron’s magnetic moment in a magnetic
field, either in the direction of the field +½ or opposed to it -½. An
electron can spin in only one of two directions (sometimes called
up and down). \
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 Subshells
The number of values of the orbital angular number ℓ can also be used to
identify the number of subshells in a principal electron shell:
 When n = 1, ℓ = 0 (l takes on one value and thus there can only be

one subshell)
 When n = 2, ℓ = 0, 1 (l takes on two values and thus there are two
possible subshells)
 When n = 3, ℓ = 0, 1, 2 (l takes on three values and thus there are
three possible subshells)
After looking at the examples above, we see that the value of n is equal to
the number of subshells in a principal electronic shell:
 Principal shell with n = 1 has one subshell

 Principal shell with n = 2 has two subshells
 Principal shell with n = 3 has three subshells
To identify what type of possible subshells n has, these subshells have

been assigned letter names. The value of ℓ determines the name of the
subshell:
Name of Subshell Value of (ℓ)
s subshell 0
p subshell 1
d subshell 2
f subshell 3
Therefore:
 Principal shell with n = 1 has one s subshell (ℓ = 0)
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 Principal shell with n = 2 has one s subshell and one p subshell (ℓ

= 0, 1)
 Principal shell with n = 3 has one s subshell, one p subshell, and
one d subshell (ℓ = 0, 1, 2)
We can designate a principal quantum number, n, and a certain subshell

by combining the value of n and the name of the subshell (which can be
found using ℓ). For example, 3p refers to the third principal quantum
number (n=3) and the p subshell (ℓ =1).
 Arrangement Of Electrons In Atoms
* In different atoms the filling of electrons into the orbitals takes place
according to the three main principles naming the Aufbau Principle,
Pauli Exclusion Principle, and Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity:
*Aufbau principle
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 The Aufbau Principle is basically a German word “Aufbauen”

which means building up.
 According to this principle, the electrons will first occupy the

orbitals that have the lowest energy. This means that the
electrons enter first orbital and then enter the orbitals which have
higher energy but only when the lower- energy orbitals are
completely filled.
 The order in which the electrons should be filled is 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s,
3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p…..
 The order of the increasing energy of the orbitals can also be

calculated using (n+l) rule.
 The sum of the values of the principal quantum numbers (n) and
azimuthal quantum number (l) is used to decide the energy level of
an orbital.
 The lower value of the sum of (n+l) means that the energy of the
orbital is low. If the value of (n+l) for two orbitals is equal then the
orbital with a lower value of n will have a lower energy level.
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*Pauli Exclusion Principle

 According to this principle, an orbital can have maximum two
electrons and these must have opposite spins.
 In other words, states that no two electrons in the same atom can
have identical values for all four of their quantum numbers.
What this means is that no more than two electrons can occupy the
same orbital, and that two electrons in the same orbital must have
opposite spins, different ms values (different spins = spin-paired).
 As we know that fourth quantum number is m, +1/2 is spin up and
-1/2 is spin down and hence if the first three quantum numbers are
same for two electrons then the electrons must have opposite spins
in an orbital
* Hund’s rule
 According to this rule, the electrons are filled in the degenerate

orbitals of the same subshell.
 Hund’s first rule (often referred to simply as Hund’s rule): in a set of

degenerate orbitals, electrons may not be spin-paired in an orbital until
each orbital in the set contains one electron; electrons singly occupying
orbitals in a degenerate set have parallel spins, i.e. they have the same
values of ms.
 Electron pairing in p, d, and f orbitals cannot be done until each

sub-shell is occupied singly.
 This is because electrons are the same in charge and they repel each
other. This repulsion is minimized if two electrons move away from each
other by getting different degenerate orbitals.
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 All the orbitals which are singly occupied have parallel spins which can
be either clockwise or anticlockwise.
*The tables below represent the electron configuration of elements
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Inorganic Chemistry... First Class ... First Semester ... (2019-2020) .. Dr.

1- Principal Quantum Number(n):

n = 1, 2, 3, …, ∞ . Specifies the energy of an electron and the size

2- Angular Momentum (Secondary or Azimunthal)

l = 0, 1, 2, ...., (n-1). Specifies the shape of an orbital with a

* An electron in an s orbital (l =0) has no orbital angular momentum, an

And so on. The orbital angular momentum vector has (2 l + 1) possible

3- Magnetic Quantum Number (ml):

ml = -l, ..., 0, ..., +l. Specifies the orientation of orbital in space or

4- Spin Quantum Number(ms):

 When n = 1, ℓ = 0 (l takes on one value and thus there can only be

 Principal shell with n = 1 has one subshell

To identify what type of possible subshells n has, these subshells have

 Principal shell with n = 1 has one s subshell (ℓ = 0)

 Principal shell with n = 2 has one s subshell and one p subshell (ℓ

We can designate a principal quantum number, n, and a certain subshell

 Arrangement Of Electrons In Atoms

 The Aufbau Principle is basically a German word “Aufbauen”

 According to this principle, the electrons will first occupy the

 The order of the increasing energy of the orbitals can also be

*Pauli Exclusion Principle

 According to this rule, the electrons are filled in the degenerate

 Hund’s first rule (often referred to simply as Hund’s rule): in a set of

 Electron pairing in p, d, and f orbitals cannot be done until each

*The tables below represent the electron configuration of elements

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