Skip to content
CHEM 121 Studioby Learn4Less · UBC CHEM 121

CHEM 121 glossary

Angular momentum quantum number

The quantum number ll, an integer from 0 to n−1n - 1, that sets the shape of an orbital and names the subshell: ll = 0, 1, 2, 3 are s, p, d, f. It also equals the number of angular nodes.

n=4n = 4 allows ll = 0 to 3; each subshell has 2l+12l + 1 orbitals.

Example

For n=3n = 3, ll can be 0, 1 or 2 (3s, 3p, 3d); l=3l = 3 would need n≥4n \ge 4, so there is no 3f.