“Lesson 1 Review - Schröedinger Quantum Numbers for Electron Positioning (Lesson Review)”

Name: Date: .
Overview
Quantum numbers (Summary):
Remember that there are 4 quantum numbers that are used to describe the probable location of an electron around
the nucleus of the atom. This information is useful in order to understand how electrons are shared between different
atoms and how this determines the type of chemical bond formed when atoms connect in a molecule.
The four quantum numbers are:
n = Principal Quantum Number (Mathematical definition: n = ❴1,2,3,4,5,6,7❵)

Definition:
The principal quantum number determines the average
distance (in nm) at which electrons lie from the center of
the atom. The higher the amount of energy in Joules, then
the greater the distance at which electrons are found.
Bohr described these areas as “rings” of energy around
the atom. Therefore these areas were known as “energy
levels”. In order to jump from one level to the next one,
an electron needs to absorb a standard package of energy
(known as energy “quantum”).
In the periodic table there are 7 horizontal rows of energy
which correspond to each of the values of the principal
quantum number “n”. The row on the top of the periodic
table represents the base level of energy (n=1) in the atom
(the level of energy closer to the nucleus) and as you
move down the table the energy level value increases
until getting to the 7th energy level. As you increase the
energy level, more electrons can be stored per every level
of energy.

ℓ = Azimuthal (Angular Momentum) Quantum Number (Mathematical definition: ℓ= n-1)

Description:
There are four possible values for every azimuthal quantum number. Each value of the azimuthal number defines the
shape of the orbital (energy sublevel) where electrons are found

㎖ = Magnetic Quantum Number (Mathematical definition: ㎖=❴-ℓ,...,0,...,+ℓ❵

Description:
This number determines the possible orientations of each orbital shape in the 3D space.
ℓ=0
㎖= 0 (possible orientations: 1)
Shape: Sphere
Symbol: “s”
Total number of electrons: 2e-

ℓ=1
㎖= -1,0,1
(possible orientations: 3)
Shape: Pear
Symbol: “p”
Total No. of e-: 6e-

ℓ=2
㎖= -2,-1,0,1,2
(orientations: 5)
Shape: Dumbell
Symbol: “d”
Total No. of e-:
10e-

ℓ=3
㎖=
-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3
(orientations: 7)
Shape: Flower
Symbol: “f”
Total No. of e-:
14e-

ɸ = Spin Quantum Number (Mathematical definition: ɸ = -½ and ɸ = +½)

Definition: The spin number determines the orientation of the magnetic

momentum of an electron that spins on its own axis. If the electron spins
counter-clockwise, the electron generates a positive magnetic momentum.
On the other hand, if an electron spins clockwise, then the electron
generates a negative magnetic momentum. In every “l” orbital shape there
is a maximum of two electrons that fill up the shape and cancel each other's
magnetic momentum. This is why there are always twice as many electrons
as possible shape orientations for each value of “l”.

Student Worksheet
Directions:
Answer the following questions with the information provided on the previous pages.
1) What are quantum numbers?

2) What information does the azimuthal quantum number indicate? (Explain in detail)
3) What does the spin quantum number indicate?

4) What does the principal quantum number indicate?

5) The letter, n, is used to designate the principal quantum number (True or False).

6)What does the magnetic quantum number indicate?

7) Orbitals with different shapes occupy different regions. These regions are called .

8) The azimuthal quantum numbers designated in ascending order (use the letters) .

9) What is the shape of the s orbital? (Draw it in detail and add colors to it)

10) What is the shape of the p orbital? (Draw it in detail and add colors to it)

11) Why were the azimuthal quantum numbers designated as s, p, d, and f?

12) There is only one possible magnetic orientation of the s orbital (True or False).

13) How many possible orientations are there for the p orbital?
14) How many electrons can the first principal energy level hold?

15) How many electrons can the second principal energy level hold?

16) The third principal energy level can hold 18 electrons. What orbitals are found in the third principal energy
level?

17) The fourth principal energy level can hold 32 electrons. What orbitals are found in the fourth principal energy
level?

18) Name the orbitals described by the following quantum numbers

a) n=3, ℓ=0 .
b) n=3, ℓ=1 .
c) n=3, ℓ=2 .
d) n=5, ℓ=3 .

19) Give the n, ℓ, and ㎖ values for the following orbitals

a) 1s .
b) 3s .
c) 4p .
d) 4d .
e) 5f .

Lesson 2 Review - Principles of Electron Configuration - Box Configuration (Review) and Qunatum
Models of the Atom

Name: Date: .
Overview
Aufbau Principle:
According to Hund’s Rule, it was established that electrons jumping to higher energy levels once they have acquired
enough energy to perform a quantum jump, always look for
a simpler orbital so that the amount of energy spent in the
jump justifies the fact that electrons moved into orbitals that
require less angular momentum (in other words, electrons
move from complex orbital shapes to simple orbital shapes).
Taking this into account, Hund proposed the creation of a
chart that would easily show the pattern in which electrons
generally fill out the different orbitals as higher energy
levels are occupied by more electrons.
This chart is usually known as Aufbau Principle (Aufbau is
a word derived from the german “Aufbauprinzip” which
means build-up principle). A simplified version of the chart
is shown below:

In order to write down the electron configuration of atoms,

you must follow the pattern indicated by the twisted arrow
path. As you fill out different levels with electrons, make
sure to count the total number of electrons so the electrons
positioned within the different shells match the “atomic
number” of the element.
For example, if you want to fill out the electron
configuration of oxygen, then you must check for the value
of the atomic number for oxygen in the periodic table of the
elements (electronic version www.ptable.com):

As you can see on top of the symbol of Oxygen (O), the big number that appears there is
“8”. This is the atomic number of oxygen and it tells you the total number of protons
and electrons that the element has. Therefore, oxygen has 8 electrons.

Given the fact that the atomic number of oxygen is Z=8, then you must start
positioning the 8 electrons by applying the pattern found in the Aufbau Principle
chart.

Step 1: Write down the orbital notation (Box Configuration) of the element (Oxygen in this example).

Energy level

n=1
 n=2 (NOTE: notice that in adjacent boxes +½ electrons go
first inside of the boxes. These boxes represent the
different ㎖ values for each of the values of ℓ present
in every energy level. Therefore that is why you may
observe three boxes for the orbital 2p, as long as the
values of ㎖ that correspond to these shapes are
㎖= -1,0.+1 respectively)

Step 2: Write down the electron configuration of the element (Oxygen in this example)

2 2 4
𝑂𝑧=8 = 1𝑠 2𝑠 2𝑝

NOTE: every coefficient represents the value of the principal quantum number (n). The exponents represent the total
number of electrons found on each orbital shape. Notice that the electron configuration reflects in a very accurate
way the information found while completing the box notation (Step 1).

On the following page you will find a larger version of the Aufbau Principle chart. It is recommended that you print
out the chart so you may use it as a tool to help you in the process of writing down the box configuration and the
electron configuration for any element in the periodic table.
Directions
Use the patterns found in the Aufbau Principle to draw orbital diagrams and then write longhand electron
configurations of the following atoms.

Directions:
Write the electron configuration and the orbital box notation for the following elements. Then, design and
sketch a quantum model of the atom using a different color for each one of the energy levels that are
found in the atom. Show all your work.
1) Fluorine (F)

2) Carbon (C)

3) Magnesium (Mg)
 4) Aluminum (Al)

“Lesson 1 and 2 Combined

Assignment - Electron
Configuration - Part B”
Name: Date: .
Directions
In the space below, write both the complete electron configuration and the the short-hand configuration (noble gas
notation) of the following elements:
Determine what elements are denoted by the following electron configurations:

These electron configurations are NOT valid, determine what is wrong with them: