quantum

mechanics
T h e q u a n t u m m e c h a n i c a l m o d e l o f t h e a t o m

L E E
Quantum mechanics
Atomic History (D,T,R,B
Review QM)The History of Atomic Chemistry
Crash Course:
 Atomic Models
You should know the early models of
the atom
Dalton Thompson Rutherford
Bohr
Old

Thompson discovered the electron with the

New cathode ray tube.
What did Rutherford discover and how?
Why is Bohrs model the planetary orbit model?
 The Quantum Mechanical Model
A quantum of energy is the amount of energy
required to move an electron from a lower
energy state to a higher (excited) energy
state.
Electron energy is quantized, similarly to stairs.
It is not continuous like a wheelchair incline.
A box can sit on Step 1 or Step
2.
It can not sit in between
steps.

and electrons cannot exist in

between energy levels.

A quantum is a discreet
package of energy.
Quantum mechanics -
e energy levels
New Bozeman Science: The Bohr Atom
 The Quantum Mechanical Model
The ground is the lowest state of potential energy
you can have. (PE=mgh)
In an atom, the nucleus is the ground and the farther from the
nucleus an electron is, the more energy it has. An electron can
have an energy of 1, 2, 3 (whole number integers), but NOT
partial numbers like 1.3, or 2 . This is what the QUANTUM
means.
You should
agree that an
electron in E2
has less
energy that
one in E3. You should
These rings agree that a
represent person has a
energy less PE on
states, not step 2 than on
electron step 3.
orbitals!
The four valence
electrons of carbon
have more energy
than the two inner
electrons.
Remember, electrons are NOT
actually in orbitals (like in this
Bohr model diagram)

but the Bohr model is still

used for simple drawings.
Each orbital is an energy
level, not an actual path,
like with planets
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

The principal quantum number

(represented by the letter n) describes
the energy level of an electron.

Higher n = more energy

Remember that n must be a whole
number above 1.
The farther down the PT an atom is, the more energy the
outer (valence) electrons have!
Farther down = more energy = higher principal quantum number
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

One cant know exactly where an electron is,

but the probability of its location can be
determined.
This uncertainty is named after Werner
Heisenberg. Its called the Heisenberg Uncertainty
Principle.
Electrons dont exist in planet-like Bohr orbitals.
They exist in electron clouds.
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Light
Light acts as both a particle and a wave.
This is called the wave-particle duality.

The name for a particle of light is called a photon, and

they are effectively massless.

Electrons in higher energy levels

can fall (just like anything will fall
to a lower state of energy)

When electrons fall, they lose

energy
and photon of light is emitted with a
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Light
A man named Louis De Broglie (and
others) determined that light is both
a particle and a wave.
Quantum mechanics
Wave-Particle Duality
New TED-Ed: Particles and Waves
Quantum mechanics
Wave-Particle Duality
and
more
New Quantum Theory (PBS Documentary) Start at 7m57s
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

The
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principal states
that you can know either the
momentum (mv, which is mass of an electron times
velocity) or the position (x) of an electron but
not both.
The more you know one, the less the other one is
able to be determined.

This is a constant. In
Mathematically, the more you know physics & chemistry, h
x, the less you know v. They are means Plancks constant:
inversely proportional. 6.626 10-34 Js
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

The real science & mathematics behind this is far too complicated
for this class, so well cover the barest of basics.
Quantum mechanics
Falling Electrons
New ABC Zoom
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electrons Fall From High to
Low
When an excited (high-energy) electron
falls to a lower energy state, a photon is
released with a certain wavelength and
frequency
is the Greek letter lambda. Its a wavelength
and the units are often m or nm (nanometers)
1 m = 1109 nm because nano means 1 billion
A photon is a particle of light
The color of light is determined by
the wavelength ()
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

Electron clouds come in 4 varieties

(each with a different principal quantum
number: n=1, n=2, n=3, or n=4).
Each variety of electron cloud orbitals has a
different shape. The nucleus is in the center of all
of them, and electrons are found somewhere in
that surrounding cloud

The four types are s, p, d, and

 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

S orbitals are spherical (round).

On the periodic table, its the first two TALL
columns.
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds
S orbitals are spherical (round).
On the periodic table,
its the first two TALL columns.
The s block of the
PT is the alkali and
alkaline columns,
plus Helium.

An s-orbital holds
two electrons.
Notice how the
s-block is two
columns wide.
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds
S orbitals are spherical (round).
On the periodic table,
its the first two TALL columns.
EACH PERIOD (row) on the periodic table
represents a larger s-orbital electron shell as
you go down. Each shell is farther from the nucleus
and has a higher energy than the previous.
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

The next shell is the p-orbital. Its

shaped like a dumbbell.
On the periodic table, its the last 6 groups
(except helium. Remember that helium is part of
s)

The first diagram is an s-

orbital. The second
diagram is a p-orbital.
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

The next shell is the p-orbital. Its shaped

like a dumbbell. On the periodic table, its the last
6 groups (except helium. Remember that helium is
part of s)

The p-block.
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

There are three different orientations of p-orbitals, which

youd learn in higher courses. Overall, the p-orbital
sublevel holds 6 electrons.
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

D orbitals are cloverleaf shaped.

On the periodic table, its the lower
columns, full of many transition metals.

How many e- does a d-orbital hold?

One type of d-
orbital is weird
and not a
cloverleaf.
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Atomic Orbitals are e- clouds

F orbitals are CRAZY shaped. Theyre

very complicated. These are the
lanthanides and actinides (the bottom,
separate part).

How many e- does a f-orbital hold?

 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations
Electron configurations are like home
addresses for elements on the periodic table.
Youve
got to
know
where the
blocks
are.
The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations
The s-block starts with 1 and
only two elements are found in
the 1s sublevel.
The superscript tells you
H is 1s 1
how many e- are present.

He is 1s
Remember that s can only
2 hold 2 electrons maximum

The first number tells you how far down the

PT you are. This is the period, or row!
The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations

LEVEL:
Period/row of the
periodic table.

ORBITAL: Which
block is it? S, P,
D, or F?

SUPERSCRIPT:
How many
electrons are in
sublevel?
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations
1. The s-block begins with 1
2. The p-block begins with 2
3. The d-block begins with 3
4. The f-block begins with 4
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations
Remember: As you go down the periodic
table, elements valence electrons have
more energy.

The 1s shell has

the lowest
energy and its
closest to the
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations
Electron configuration diagrams are often
represented using boxes, and the boxes have UP
and DOWN arrows.

Each box can hold two electrons, represented by

and
(Electrons spin in two directions: up and down)

How many electrons are in a one neutral oxygen

atom?
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations
THE AUFBAU PRINCIPLE (aufbau is German for to build
up)

Electrons will fill the lowest energy

levels first.
So 1s will fill with its two electrons before 2s will, and 2s
Increasing energy

will get its two electrons before 2p and so on.

An electron configuration may start like this:

1s22s22p63s23p6
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations
THE PAULI EXCLUSION PRINCIPLE
An atomic orbital may hold two
electrons maximum. Each pair must
spin in opposite directions.
Recall that and will pair up in a box.

Electron pair must have opposite spin

directions, modeled by up and down arrows.
How do these violate the PEP?

Conventionally,
the UP comes
before the
DOWN
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations
HUNDS RULE
All the boxes in the same energy level
will fill with one before pairs are
created by adding electrons.
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations
HUNDS RULE
All the boxes (orbitals) in the same energy level will fill with one
before pairs are created by adding the electrons.

This is the bus seat rule

As strangers get on a bus (one-by-one), all
the seats will be filled with one person
before the strangers are forced to share a
seat. 8 strangers
The 9 stranger th
(electrons)
(electron) gets
sit on a bus
on and someone
than hold 16
is forced to
people.
double up.
The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configurations

8 strangers
The 9th stranger
(electrons) sit
(electron) gets
on a bus that
on and someone
holds 16 people.
is forced to
They started
double up.
filling one by one.

The 17th stranger will

have to catch the next
bus (the next highest
energy level)
The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configuration
Examples
Electron harmonics: Electron Orbitals & Music-like
Waves (Crash Course Chemistry) [@04:14]
Electron Configuration Overview (Socratica)
The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electron Configuration
Practice
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Light
Theelectromagnetic
spectrum is made of various
wavelengths and frequencies of light.
Only a tiny amount is visible to us.
The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Kurz Gesagt

Light
What is light?
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Light
White light can be split into the
rainbow by using RED
a prism.
LIGHT has the longest
wavelength (represented by )

It has the lowest energy (E)

and the lowest frequency. ().
All waves in the EM
spectrum travel at the
speed of light (c).
The speed of light is 3 x 108
m/s
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Light
White light can be split into the
rainbow by using a prism.
RED LIGHT has the
longest wavelength
(represented by )
It has the lowest
energy (E) and the
lowest frequency.
( )
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Light
is
the equation for wavelength, calculated by
dividing the speed of light by the lights frequency.
Wavelength is measured in meters(m)
Youll often use/see nanometers (nm)
Example: 700 nm = 700 x 10-9 m = 7 x 10-7
m
The speed of light is a constant: 3 x 108 m/s
Frequency is 1/s is the Greek letter nu
This is called a Hertz (Hz)
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Light
E=h is the equation for light energy and
frequency.
Energy is measured in joules (J)
Frequency is 1/s
This is called a Hertz (Hz)
h is called Plancks Constant.
6.6 x 10-34 Js
Light with higher frequencies (like Blue &
Violet) have higher energy, and are
caused by electrons falling from higher
The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Light
The white orbits
represent electron
energy levels.

The color of light

that you see is
determined by the
potential energy
difference between
an electrons initial
and final energy.
How do Glow Sticks Work?
How do Neon Lights Work?
 The Quantum Mechanical Model:
Electromagnetism, Energy, &
Light
De Broglies equation is:

Unit= Js

Unit=
meters
Unit= m/s
Unit= grams or
kg