High school10 min

Atomic orbitals: quantum numbers and filling

The four quantum numbers, how many orbitals per subshell, and the method for writing an electron configuration with its orbital boxes.

The essentials

1

Orbital, not orbit

An atomic orbital is a wave function ψ\psi: ψ2|\psi|^2 gives the probability of finding the electron at each point. No more trajectory, unlike the Bohr model. Shapes: s spherical; p with two opposite lobes separated by a node at the nucleus; d more complex.
2

The four quantum numbers

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3

Counting orbitals

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4

The three filling rules

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5

σ and π bonds

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