Each of the electrons in an atom is described and

characterised by a set of four quantum numbers, namely

a) principal quantum number, n
b) angular momentum quantum number,
c) magnetic quantum number, m
d) electron spin quantum number, s.
Quantum Numbers
The value of n determines the energy of an orbital and thereby
the energy of the electron in that particular orbital.
The principal quantum number may have only integral values: n
=1, 2, 3, , .
Principal Quantum Number, n
n 1 2 3 4
shell K L M N
Orbital size
Energy
increases
Angular Momentum Quantum Number,
- Alternative name: Subsidiary / Azimuthal / Orbital
Quantum Number
- The value of indicates the shape of the atomic orbital (AO), the
types of orbitals, and the angular momentum of the electron.
- The allowed values of are 0, 1, 2,, (n1)
Letters are assigned to different numerical values of .
Numerical value of Symbol
0
1
2
3
Orbital shape
s
p
d
f
spherical
dumbbell
cloverleaf
Angular Momentum Quantum Number,
- is dependant on n. (i.e., 0 < n).
If n = 1, can only be 0 (s-orbital)
If n = 2, can be 0 or 1 giving rise to two subshells
(s and p-orbitals) of slightly different energy.
If n = 3, can be 0, 1, or 2 (there are three subshells:
(s, p, and d-orbitals)
Magnetic Quantum Number, m
The direction or orientation of the magnetic field is determined
by the value of m.
Possible values of m depend on the value of . For a given , m
can be : , , 0, , +
( m +)
If = 0, m can only be 0 one orbital in s-subshell
If = 1, m can be 1, 0, +1 three orbitals in p-subshell
If = 2, m can be 2, 1, 0, +1, +2 five orbitals in d-subshell
The number of m values indicates the number of orbitals in
a subshell with a particular value.

The values of n = 2 and = 1 indicate that we have a 2p-
subshell, and in this subshell we have three 2p-orbitals
(because there are three values of m, given by -1, 0 and
+1)
Magnetic Quantum Number, m
Electron Spin Quantum Number, s
The value of s determines the direction of spinning motions of an
electron (either clockwise or counter clockwise) which is spinning
on its own axes, as Earth does.
The electron spin quantum number has a value of
+
1
2
-
1
2
or
Atomic orbitals with the same energy (i.e., the same value
of n and ) are said to be degenerated. Therefore, there are
(2+1) degenerate orbitals for each value of .
The maximum number of electrons in a particular energy
level, n is given by the expression as follows:
max no. of e

= 2n
2

Points to Remember
Exercise
Shell n

(<n)
Orbital
notation
m
(- m +)
No. of
degenerated
orbitals
K
L
M
0
0
0
1
1
2
1s
2s
3s
2p
3p
3d
0
0
0
-1, 0, +1
-1, 0, +1
-2, -1, 0, +1, +2
1
1
1
3
3
5
2
1
3
Exercise
State whether or not each of the following symbols is an
acceptable designation for an atomic orbital. Explain what
is wrong with the unacceptable symbols.
b) 6g
a) 2d
c) 7s
d) 5i
n=2 =2
( < n)
n=6
n=7
n=5
=4
=0
=6
unacceptable
acceptable
unacceptable
acceptable