Chemists identify electron shells both by number (the value of the quantum number n) and/or by capital letters: the

first shell by the letter K, the second by L, the third by M, and the fourth by N. Higher-order shells exist for atoms requiring9 many electrons (high atomic number), and the lettering pattern is alphabetic (fifth shell is O, sixth is P, etc.). Each successive shell has a greater number of subshells available, like successive amphitheater tiers having more rows: the low-level tiers closest to the stage having the fewest rows, and the high-level tiers furthest from the stage having the most rows.