Electron Structure Key Terms and Definitions

Question 1

Orbitals

Answer 1

The region around the nucleus that can hold up to 2 electrons with opposite spin

Question 2

Subshells

Answer 2

A group of orbitals of the same shape and energy within the same shell, they are degenerate orbitals which mean they have the same energy

Question 3

Shells

Answer 3

A shell is a complete group of orbitals having the same principal quantum number - the max number of electrons in a shell is 2n^2

Question 4

The Aufbau Principle

Answer 4

Electrons occupy the lowest available energy levels first

Question 5

Pauli’s Exclusion Principal

Answer 5

If two electrons occupy one orbital, they must have opposite spins

Question 6

Hund’s Rule’s

Answer 6

When two or more electrons occupy a set of degenerate orbitals, they occupy them singly and with parallel spins, before spin pairing in one orbital