Quantum numbers:

They are numbers define the volume of space (orbital) where there is maximum
probability of finding electrons. Besides, they define the energy, shape and
direction of orbitals.
There are four quantum numbers:
1-The principle quantum number
(n)
2-The subsidiary quantum number
(ℓ)
3-The magnetic quantum number
(mℓ)

4- The spin quantum number (ms)

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Principle quantum number (n)

a) Bohr use it in hydrogen atom it is used to define

1- Orders of principle energy levels and their number are seven in the heaviest one in
its ground state.
-1st E.L K Is filled with 2 electrons
-2nd E.L L Is filled with 8 electrons
-3rd E.L M Is filled with 18 electrons
-4th E.L N Is filled with 32 electrons

2- The number of electron required to fill its level (2n2)

This rule is not applied in levels higher than fourth level

Because the atom becomes unstable if the number of electrons exceed 32
electrons inany level.
* The principle quantum number must be a whole number exclude zero
*Each energy level is divided into sublevels.
 Subsidiary quantum number (ℓ):

It indicates the number of energy sub levels in each principle level.

b) Each principle energy level contains a number of energy sublevels equal to its
principle quantum number.
c) The energy sublevels take the symbols and values which are shown in the
following table:
s p d F
Symbols of sublevels

Values of subsidiary quantum number (l ) [o: n-1] 0 1 2 3

d)They was noticed by Sommerfield that each spectral line is a number of fine
spectral lines that represent electron transition between very near energy levels
(sublevels).
e)There is a small difference in energy of sublevels s<p<d<f

Sub level
Sub level Main energy level

Sub level

Example1:
What are the probable (ℓ) values when n = 3
Solution
∵ n= 3 so the no. of sublevels = 3
So the probable (ℓ) values ranges between [0 ∶ (n − 1)] = [0: (3 − 1)] = 0,1,2
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Example2:
Mention the sublevels that exist in an atom knowing that its last principle level is L
Solution
P.Q.No. N (ℓ) Sublevels
K 1 0 1S
L 2 0,1 2S,2P
So sublevels in this atom are (1S, 2S, 2P)
 3-The magnetic quantum number

The magnetic number is characterized by the

following:
a) It represents the number of orbitals within
a certain energy sublevel and their
direction in space.
b) It is represented by odd and integer
numbers between (-ℓ,...,0,...+ℓ).
The following table explain probability of
magnetic quantum number for atom (n=4).
c) Sublevel (s) has one orbital of spherical
symmetrical shape around the nucleus.
The sublevel (p) consists of three orbitals whose axes take the three spatial
orientations (orientation in space x, y, z). Thus they are designated as px, py and pz
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Note:
Each p orbital is perpendicular to the
other two. The electron cloud of each
orbital
takes the form of two pears meeting head
to head (dumb-bell shaped) at a node point of zero electron density.
sublevel (d) has 5 orbitals and sublevel (f) has 7 orbitals.

Give reason:

The sublevel P is completely filled with 6 electrons while the sublevel d is

completely filled with 10 electrons?

Bec. The sublevel P contains 3 orbitals while the sublevel d contains 5 orbitals
Example1:
What are the probable (mℓ) values when ℓ = 2
(mℓ) values ranges between (-ℓ, 0 , +ℓ)
(mℓ) values ranges between (-2,-1, 0 ,1,2)
…………………………………………………………………………………………

4-Spin quantum number (ms)

 Any orbital cannot be occupied by more than

twoelectrons.
 Each electron spins on its own axis during its
orbit around the nucleus.
 This can be illustrated when we imagine the
spinning of the earth on its own axis during its
rotation around the sun.
 Although the two electrons of the same orbital carry the same negative charge,
we might expect them to repel.
 Yet as a result of the spinning of each electron on its own axis, a magnetic field
arises in a direction opposing the direction of the other magnetic field arising
from the spinning of the other electron.
 It is said that the two electrons are in a spin paired state and these are designated
as ( )
 The following considerations must be observed about the spin quantum number: 1-
It defines the type of spin motion of the electron and since the electron can only
spin in either of the two directions i.e. clock-wise ( ) ms = + 1/2 or anticlock-
wise ( ) ms = -1/2

2
1
 Summary of the relationship between the principle energy level, sublevels and
orbitals

1. The number of energy sublevels equals the number of the principal level to which
they belong,
i.e. the first principal level consists of one sublevel and the 2nd principal level has
two sublevels ...etc.
2. The number of orbitals within a principal energy level square the number of level
(n2)
i.e. The 2nd energy level consists of 4 orbitals 2s, 2px, 2py, 2pz and the 3rd energy
level consists of nine orbitals (3S, 3px, 3py, 3pz and five 3 d orbitals).
3. The number of electrons occupying a given principal energy level equals two times
the square of this level ( 2n2 ).
For example, the 2nd level can take eight electrons distributed as follows 2s2 , 2p2x ,
2py2 , 2pz2 .
The quantum numbers of the electrons occupying the first three energy
levels may be summarized as follows:
 1. Pauli's exclusion principle: it states that:

It is impossible for two electrons in the same atom to have the same four
quantum numbers.
The following table explains two electrons of 3s similar in quantum numbers (n, ℓ, mℓ)
but differ in (ms):

2-Aufbau (building up) principle

It states that “Electrons occupied the energy sublevels in order of

increasing their energy, the lowest sublevels are filled first”
1s < 2s < 2p < 3s < 3p < 4s < 3d < 4p < 5s < 4d < 5p < 6s < 4f < 5d < 6p < 7s < 5f < 6d < 7p
Examples:
11Na

20Ca

30Zn

35Br
…………………………………………………………………………………………

3-Hund's rule

States that “No electron pairing takes place in a given sublevels until each orbit
contains one electron”.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Write the electronic configuration of 7N and 8O according to Hund's rule

px py py px py py

2p 2p

2s
2s
1s
1s
…………………………………………………………………………………………

Give reasons:

1- The sublevels 4S is filled by electrons before the sublevel 3d

Bec. The energy of sublevel 4s is lower than that of 3d where sum of (n+l) of
sublevel 4s is less than that of sublevel 3d

2- The spin of a single electron in the same sublevel is in the same direction?