CHM 161 Chapter 4: Electronic Structure

The abbreviation m_s stands for

Spin quantum number

The abbreviation l stands for

Angular momentum quantum number

The abbreviation m_l stands for

Magnetic quantum number

The abbreviation n stands for

Principal quantum number

m_l determines…

orientation of orbital in space

n determines…

approximate energy of orbital

l determines

the shape of the orbital

wavelength

The distance between corresponding points in two adjacent light cycles.

frequency

The number of cycles of light that pass a given point in one second.

What we know as light is more properly called

Electromagnetic radiation

Planck’s constant

The proportionality constant between the frequency and the energy of light.

photon

The name of a wave of light acting as a particle.

electromagnetic spectrum

The full span of the possible wavelengths, frequencies, and energies of light.

continuous spectrum

An image that contains all colors of light.

line spectrum

quantum mechanics

principal quantum number

The index that largely determines the energy of an electron in an atom. Represented by n.

shell

A term used to describe electrons with the same principal quantum number.

angular momentum quantum number

An index that affects the energy and the spatial distribution of an electron in an atom. Represented by ℓ.

If n equals 1 L can be

0

If n equals 2 L can be

0 or 1

If n equals 3 L can be

0, 1, or 2

If n equals 4 L can be

0, 1, 2, or 3

if L equals 0 then the letter is

s

if L equals 1 then the letter is

p

if L equals 2 then the letter is

d

if L equals 3 then the letter is

f

magnetic quantum number

The index that determines the orientation of the electron’s spatial distribution. Represented by mℓ.

If ℓ equals 0 the mℓ values can be

0

If ℓ equals 1 the mℓ values can be

-1, 0, or 1

If ℓ equals 2 the mℓ values can be

-2, -1, 0, 1, or 2

If ℓ equals 3 the mℓ values can be

-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, or 3

orbital

The specific set of principal, angular momentum, and magnetic quantum numbers for an electron.

spin quantum number

The index that indicates one of two spin states for an electron. Represented by m_s.

Pauli exclusion principle

No two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers.

electron configuration

The representation of the organization of electrons in shells and subshells in an atom.

abbreviated electron configuration

An electron configuration that uses one of the noble gases to represent the core of electrons up to that element.

s block

The columns of the periodic table in which s subshells are being occupied. the first two rows of the periodic table

p block

The columns of the periodic table in which p subshells are being occupied. the right-most six columns of the periodic table

D-block

The columns of the periodic table in which d subshells are being occupied. the middle 10 columns of the periodic table

F-block

The columns of the periodic table in which f subshells are being occupied. the 14-column section that is normally depicted as detached from the main body of the periodic table. It could be part of the main body

valence electrons

The electrons in the highest-numbered shell, plus any electrons in the last unfilled subshell.

valence shell

The highest-numbered shell in an atom that contains electrons.

periodic trends

Variation of properties versus position on the periodic table.

atomic radius

An indication of the size of the atom.