Atomic Orbitals, Electronic Configurations and the Periodic Table

Question 1

What is the quantum number, n, and what does it represent?

Answer 1

Principal quantum number - Represents the main energy level.

Question 2

What is the quantum number, l, and what does it represent?

Answer 2

Angular momentum quantum number - Represents the number and shape of the subshell.

Question 3

What is the quantum number, m, and what does it represent?

Answer 3

Magnetic quantum number - Represents direction (changes depending on number of orbitals/type of subshell).

Question 4

What is the quantum number, s, and what does it represent?

Answer 4

Spin quantum number - Indicates if the electron is spinning clockwise or anti clockwise (1/2 or -1/2).

Question 5

How many electrons can be in a single orbital?

Answer 5

Two.

Question 6

What are the 4 different types of subshell?

Answer 6

s, p, d, f

Question 7

What is the angular momentum number, l, for an s subshell?

Answer 7

l = 0

Question 8

What is the angular momentum number, l for a p subshell?

Answer 8

l = 1

Question 9

What are the value(s) of m for an s subshell?

Answer 9

0

Question 10

What are the value(s) of m for a p subshell?

Answer 10

-1, 0, 1

Question 11

What are the value(s) of m for a d subshell?

Answer 11

-2, -1, 0, 1, 2

Question 12

What shape are s orbitals?

Answer 12

Spherical.

Question 13

How many orbitals are there within a p subshell?

Answer 13

3

Question 14

How many orbitals are there within a d subshell?

Answer 14

5

Question 15

What are degenerate orbitals?

Answer 15

Orbitals that have the same energy.

Question 16

What does the Aufbau Principle state?

Answer 16

When electrons are placed into orbitals, the energy levels are filled up in order of increasing energy.

Question 17

What does the Pauli Exclusion Principle state?

Answer 17

No two electrons in one atom can have the same set of 4 quantum numbers - an orbital cannot contain more than two electrons and they must have opposite spins.

Question 18

What does Hund’s Rule state?

Answer 18

In degenerate orbitals, electrons will fill each orbital singly with spins parallel before pairing occurs.

Question 19

What two elements appear not to follow the Aufbau principle and why?

Answer 19

Chromium and copper - half filled or completely filled d orbitals have more stability.

Question 20

What subshell fills and empties before the 3d subshell?

Answer 20

4s subshell.

Question 21

What are the blocks of the Periodic Table named after?

Answer 21

The type of outermost orbital being filled.

Question 22

What is the trend in ionisation energy across a period?

Answer 22

Increases.

Question 23

What is the trend in ionisation energy down a group?

Answer 23

Decreases.

Question 24

What confers extra stability to the electrons in atoms?

Answer 24

Half filled and filled subshells.