AHL Atomic
Structure: Modern Theory
Slide 10 of 26
Solution to the
wave equation
Now, the different folders in our
filing cabinet of an atom are called orbitals and there are a fixed
number of each of them within any subshell.
–s contains one orbital (also called s
orbital), while p contains 3 (each one of them called
p orbital), d contains 5
(each one of them called f orbital), and f contains 7 (each one called g orbital)
etc.
4. An orbital can contain a maximum of 2 electrons with opposed spins (Pauli’s exclusion principle).
–That means, s subshell with it’s single orbital
(s) in it, can accommodate a maximum of 2 electrons.
–In other words, the first energy level, shell #
1 (n=1), which contains only 1 subshell (s), which
in turn contains only one orbital, referred to as an s orbital (named
after the subshell it is found in), can accommodate a maximum of only 2 electrons.
–P subshell, on the other hand, with it’s 3 (p)
orbitals, can accommodate a maximum of 6 electrons.
–That is to say then, the second energy level, shell # 2
(n=2), which contains 2 subshells, s and p, can
accommodate a maximum of (2+6) 8 electrons etc.