Activity 2.

Review of Orbitals:, Electron configurations and Quantum Numbers

Section A: Orbitals
1) State how the wavefunction is related to the probability of finding an electron at any given point in space.

2) What is the common name for the wavefunction of an electron?

3) Although atomic orbitals are actually mathematical functions, what do the common pictorial representations of
“orbitals” that chemists often use represent?

4) Sketch a typical s, p and d orbital showing appropriate signs of the wavefunction. (Note that the signs will be
important later to accurately describe chemical bonding.)

4b) Do all five d orbitals within a subshell have the same shape? Explain

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5) How do the individual orbitals within a subshell vary with respect to shape, energy, size and orientation in space?

6a) Describe the orientation and letter designation for the three p orbitals within a subshell.

6b) Describe the orientation and letter designation for the five d orbitals within a subshell.

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Section B: Atomic Structure:

7) How many subshells are contained in the nth principal level?

8) Identify the total number and types of subshells in each of the following principal levels:
a) n = 1 b) n = 2 c) n = 3 d) n = 4 e) n = 5

9) Identify the total number of orbitals in each of the following subshells

a) s subshell b) p subshell c) d subshell e) f subshell

10) Given that each orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, find the maximum number of electrons that can be

obtained in each of the following:

a) the 6p subshell

b) the 3rd principal level

c) the 4dxy orbital

d) the 4f subshell

e) the 4th principal level

f) the 3px orbital

Section C: Electron Configuration:

11) Write the chemical symbol for the element which has:
a) 4 electrons in the 4p subshell
b) 1 electron in the 5s subshelll
c) 7 electrons in the 5d subshell

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12a) Write the shorthand electron configuration for:
a) Re

b) Bi

13) Which of the following elements have a completely filled 4th principal level: Ar, Kr, Sn, Os, Rn

14) Which element on the periodic table has exactly:

a) 5 electrons in the 2nd principal level
b) 15 electrons in the 3rd principal level
c) 11 electrons in the 4th principal level
d) 15 electrons in p subshells
e) 25 electrons in d subshells
f) 9 electrons in s subshells

Section C: Quantum Numbers:

15) Identify the l values for each of the subshells in each of the following principal levels:
a) n = 1 b) n = 2 c) n = 3 d) n = 4

16) Based on your answer to 15, how is the maximum value of l related to n?

17) Identify the ml values for each of the individual orbitals within the following subshells
a) s subshell (l = 0)

b) p subshell (l = 1)

c) d subshell ( l = 2)

d) f subshell (l = 3)

18) How are the values of ml related to l?

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19) How many of the following sets of quantum numbers are possible?
I: n = 3; l = 3 II: n = 0; l = 0 III: n = 4; l = 3
IV: n = 4; l = 0, ml = 0 V: n = 3; l = 1, ml = 2

a) only one set is possible b) only two sets are possible

c) only three sets are possible d) only four sets are possible

20) Which of the following sets of quantum numbers are NOT possible? (more than one answer may be possible)

a) n = 6, l = 3 b) n = 2, l = 2 c) n = 4, l = 0, m l = –1
d) n = 1, l = 0, ml = 0 e) n = 5, l = 2, m l = –1
f) n = 3, l = 1, m l = –2

21) What is the maximum number of electrons that can have the following sets of quantum numbers?
a) n = 3 b) n = 4, l = 3 c) n = 5, l = 1, m l = –1

22) How many TOTAL electrons does Br contain having

a) n = 4; l = 1 b) l = 1

23) How many total electrons does Ru contain having the following sets of quantum numbers:
a) n = 4 b) n = 4; l = 1 c) n = 4; l = 1; m l = 0

24) Which element has exactly 7 electrons having n = 5; l = 2?

25) How many total electrons can exist with the following sets of quantum numbers. For sets that are not possible,
write N.P.
a) n = 3 b) n = 3; l = 1 c) n = 2, l = 2

d) n = 4; l = 2; m l = —1 e) n = 3; l = 1; m l = —2

f) n = 3; l = 1; m l = 0; ms = ½

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