Question

What is the orbital notation for the electron in an orbital with the following quantum number: `n` = 3, `l` = 1?

Answer 1

Here's what I got.

Explanation:

The interesting thing to notice here is that you can't really say the exact orbital in which that electron resides because you're missing the value of the magnetic quantum number, `m_l`.

As you know, four quantum numbers are used to describe the position and spin of an electron inside an atom.


The principal quantum number, `n`, describes the energy level on which the electron resides. In your case, you have

`n=3 ->` the third energy level

The angular momentum quantum number, `l`, describes the subshell in which the electron is located. You have

• `l = 0 ->` the s subshell
• `l=1 ->` the p subshell
• `l=2 ->` the d subshell
• `vdots`

In your case, the electron is located in the `p` subshell. Now, the `p` subshell contains a total of `3` orbitals as described by the magnetic quantum number, `m_l`

• `m_l = color(white)(-)0 ->` the `p_z` orbital
• `m_l = -1 ->` the `p_x` orbital
• `m_l = +1 ->` the `p_z` orbital

In order to be able to specify the exact orbital in which the electron resides, you need to know the value of `m_l`. Since that is not given to you, all you can say is that

`n=3, l=1`

The electron is located on the third energy level, in the p subshell.