AHL Atomic
Structure: Modern Theory
Slide 8 of 26
Solution to the wave equation
On solving the wave equation,
in general, it is found that:
1.Electrons are found in what are called energy levels (or shells
which are completely different from the shells in atoms
according to Bohr’s model of an atom).
•Analogy: An atom can be thought
of as a filing cabinet with several drawers one on top of the
other.
•Each drawer in a filing cabinet
can then be likened to an energy level in an atom.
2.Each energy level (shell) is made up of fixed number of subshells.
•If each drawer is likened to an
energy level in an atom, the individual folders within a drawer can
then be likened to subshells within a shell of an atom.
3. Each subshell is made up of clusters but fixed numbers of
what are called orbitals.
•The sheets of paper containing
information filed away in each folder can be likened to orbitals.