Subshells and Orbitals

Timberlake Lectur

Quantum Mechanics
Describes the arrangement of electrons
in atoms in terms of:
Main or principal energy levels (n)
Energy subshells
Orbitals (space occupied within the
atom)

Timberlake Lectur

Principal Energy Levels (n)

Contain electrons that are
Close in energy
Similar distance from nucleus
Have values of n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6..
Maximum number of electrons = 2n 2
n =1
n =2
n=3

2(1)2 = 2
2(2)2 =8
Timberlake Lectur

Energy Levels (Shells)

A group of electrons in an atom all having the
same principal quantum number (n)
n = 1, 2, 3,

The first shell (n = 1) is lowest in energy, 2 nd

level next and so on 1<2<3<4
The number of electron in each shell is
limited to 2n2
n=1
n=2

2n2 = 2
2n2 = ____

Timberlake Lectur

Energy Levels for Electrons

Some possible electron transitions for the first
three energy levels are shown below. The
negative value means that the electron in the
atom has a lower energy than a free electron
Energy Level
Energy, E
n=3 ___________________ (-) 2.420 x 10 19 J
n=2 __________________ (-) 5.445 x 10 19 J
18
n=1 __________________
Timberlake Lectur(-) 2.178 x 10 J

Learning Check S1
A. What energy change (J) takes place when an
electron in a hydrogen atom moves from the
first (n=1) to the second shell (n=2)?

B. What energy change (J) takes place when

the electron moves from the third shell to the
second shell?

Timberlake Lectur

Solution S1
A. What energy change takes place when an
electron in a hydrogen atom moves from the
first (n=1) to the second shell (n=2)?
1.634 x 10-18 J of energy must be absorbed.
B. What energy change takes place when the
electron moves from the third shell to the
second shell?
(-5.445 x 10-19J ) - (2.2420 x 10-19 J) = -3.025 x 1019J
will be emitted as electron falls from a higher to
a lower energy state
Timberlake Lectur

Subshells
Energy sublevels within energy level
All electrons in a subshell have the
same energy
Designated s, p, d, f ..
Sublevel energy: s<p<d<f
Timberlake Lectur

Electron Locations
Main
Energy
Levels

Sublevels

n=4

4s, 4p, 4d, 4f

n=3

3s, 3p, 3d

n=2

2s, 2p

n=1

1s

Timberlake Lectur

Sublevels in n = 1,2, 3

n=3

3d
3p
3s

n=2

2p
2s

n=1

1s
Timberlake Lectur

Electrons Allowed
All electrons in the same sublevel have the
same energy.
All 2s electrons have the same energy. All 2p
electrons have the same energy which is slightly
higher than the energy of the 2s electrons
s sublevel
2 electrons
p sublevel
6 electrons
d sublevel
10 electrons
f sublevel
14 electrons
Timberlake Lectur

Electron Configuration
List of subshells containing electrons
Written in order of increasing energy
Superscripts give the number of electrons
Example: Electron configuration of neon
number of electrons

1s2
main shell

2s2

2p6
subshell
Timberlake Lectur

Order of Filling
Total energy of a subshell =
energy of the main shell + the subshell
The 4s energy < 3d energy
4p
___
3d
___
(finishes the n=3 shell)
4s
___
(starts the n=4 shell)
3p
___
3s
___
2p
___
2s
___
1s
___
Timberlake Lectur

Writing Electron Configurations

H

1s1

He

1s2

Li

1s2

2s1

1s2

2s2

2p2

1s2

2s2

2p6

3s2

Timberlake Lectur

3p4

Sublevel Blocks
s1 s 2
1
2
3
4
5
6

p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6

d1 - d10

f1 - f14
Timberlake Lectur

Periodic Table and Electron

Configuration
Find the element on the periodic table
Use the order of filling indicated
across each period
Groups 1-2 = s level
Groups 3-8 = p level
Transition = d level
Lantanides
= f level
Timberlake Lectur

Learning Check S2
Indicate if each configuration is (1) correct or (2)
incorrect for potassium. Give an explanation
for selection of 1 or 2. Explain
why or why not?
A. 1s22s22p63s1
B.

1 or 2

1s22s22p63s23p6 1 or 2

C. 1s22s22p63s23p64s1
D.

1 or 2

1s22p83s1 1 or 2

23p7 1 or 2
E. 1s22s22p63sTimberlake
Lectur

Solution E2
For phosphorus, indicate if each
configuration is (1) correct or (2) incorrect.
Explain why or why not.
A. 2, 2, 8, 5

B. 2, 8, 3

C. 2, 8, 5

D. 2, 6, 7

2
Timberlake Lectur

Learning Check S3
Using the periodic table, write the complete
electronic configuration for each:
A. Cl
B. Sr
C. I
Timberlake Lectur

Solution S3
Using the periodic table, write the complete
electronic configuration for each:
A. Cl
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5
B. Sr
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2
C. I
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p5
Timberlake Lectur

Learning Check S4
A. The final two notations for Co are
1) 3p64s2
2) 4s24d7
3) 4s23d7
B. The final three notations for Sn are
1) 5s25p24d10
2) 5s24d105p2
3) 5s25d105p2
Timberlake Lectur

Solution S4
A.

The final two notations for Co are

3) 4s2 3d7

B. The final three notations for Sn are

2) 5s2 4d10 5p2

Timberlake Lectur

Orbital
A 3 dimensional space around a nucleus in
which electrons are most likely to be found
Shape represents electron density (not a
path the electron follows)
Each orbital can hold up to 2 electrons.

Timberlake Lectur

s orbitals

1s

2s

Timberlake Lectur

3s

Three p Orbitals

px

pz
Timberlake Lectur

py

p subshell contains p orbitals

Timberlake Lectur

d orbitals

Timberlake Lectur

Learning Check S5
A. Number of electrons in a p orbital
1) 1e
2) 1e or 2e 3) 3e
B. Number of orbitals in a p subshell
1) 1
2) 2
3) 3
C. Number of orbitals in 4d subshell
1) 1
2) 3
3) 5
D. Number of electrons (maximum) in a 3d
subshell
1) 2e
2) 5e
3) 10e
Timberlake
Lectur

Solution S5
A. Number of electrons in a p orbital
2) 1e or 2e
B. Number of orbitals in a p subshell
3) 3
C. Number of orbitals in 4d subshell
3) 5
D. Number of electrons in a 3d subshell
3) 10e
Timberlake Lectur