DISCOVERING

SYNTHETIC ELEMENT
Nala, Jordan Jr.
Sesbino, Rodalyn
 Lesson 2.1

Quantum Models of the Atoms

• Light has both wave-like and particle-like properties
• In 1942, French physicist Louis de Broglie initially thought that
“electrons behave both like a wave and a particle”
• However, he later emphasized that electrons (as in Bohr’s quantized
orbit) behave more like a wave
• He also proposed that electrons be considered as a wave confined in
the space surrounding an atomic nucleus
Quantum Numbers
• describe the atomic orbitals as well as the properties of the electrons
in those orbitals

oPrincipal Quantum Number

•n – indicates the size of the orbital

•The bigger the n is, the greater is the average distance of an electron in the orbital
from the nucleus and thus, the larger the orbital and the atom

•Also indicates the main energy level occupied by an electron, and takes on positive
integers (1, 2, 3, and so on) as values.

•A shell is composed of a set of orbitals that have the same principal quantum
numbers
Azimuthal Quantum Number
• (ℓ) – azimuthal quantum number
• also known as angular momentum quantum
number
• Allowed values for ℓ include 0 and all
positive integers less than or equal to n-1.
• Example, an n = 1 denotes a specific orbital Table 2-1
Orbital Letter Designation
shape corresponding to
Maximum
ℓ = 0. An n = 2 may have one of two orbital ℓ letter Number
shapes corresponding of Electrons

ℓ = 0 and ℓ = 1. 0 s 2
1 p 6
• As shown in table 2-1. An ℓ = 0 corresponds
to an s orbital; ℓ = 1 means a p orbital; and 2 d 10
so on 3 f 14
• Subshells – one or more orbitals with the same values of n and ℓ
For example, the shell with n = 2 has two subshells (ℓ = 0 and ℓ = 1)
referred to as the 2s and 2p subshells. The number “2” refers to n, while s
and p refer to the two values of ℓ (each subshell can accommodate only a
certain number of electrons)
• s orbital is spherical shape
• p orbital is dumbbell shape
• d and f orbitals have complicated shapes
• The p, d, and f orbitals have other orientations aside from the one shown
Magnetic Quantum Number
• The magnetic quantum number (mℓ) indicates the orientation of an obital around the
nucleus.
• For a particular value of ℓ, there will be (2ℓ + 1) possible values of mℓ. Hence, the values
for mℓ are integers from - ℓ to + ℓ, including 0. For example, if ℓ = 0, only one value for mℓ
is possible; that is, mℓ = 0. If ℓ = 1, there are [2ℓ + 1 = 3 ] possible values of mℓ, which are -
1, 0, and +1

The number of mℓ values also given an idea about the number of orientations of
orbitals belonging to a particular subshell . For instance, for a p orbital with ℓ = 1, the
three possible mℓ values (-1, 0, +1) imply that there are three orientations of the p
orbital around the nucleus
Spin Quantum Number
• The spin quantum number (ms) indicates the spins of the electrons
and may have only two possible values, +½ and -½. The (+) and (-)
signs only refer to the orientation of the spin, and not on the electric
charge. The orientation is normally upward or downward when
represented in diagrams, which will be discussed in Lesson 2.2.