Energy Levels and Orbitals

An investigation into electrons and their

location and behavior within the atom

Learning Targets:
A. Describe the process of excitation and
emission of energy by an electron.
B. Write electron configurations for
elements or ions (incl. noble gas
config.)
C. Draw orbital energy diagrams for
elements or ions.
 Emission Spectroscopy
● The spectra that were shown through
emission spectroscopy led Niels Bohr to
question the structure of the atom.
 Electromagnetic Spectrum
 With white light, all of the colors of the
visible spectrum are shown.
 Emission Spectroscopy
● Since that was NOT what the spectra of
elements looked like, Bohr began to look at
why only certain wavelengths of color
appeared.
 Wavelengths and Energy

E = hc
λ
Energy hc = two constants wavelength
(Planck’s and speed of light)

This equation shows that larger wavelengths indicate lower

amounts of energy and smaller wavelengths indicate higher
amounts of energy... an inverse relationship.

Bohr realized that the specific wavelengths revealed specific

amounts of energy.
 The Bohr Model

According to Niels Bohr, an electron can

circle the nucleus in orbits of only certain
distances from the nucleus. Bohr called
these orbits, or energy levels.

An electron cannot be in-between energy

levels (i.e. it is either on the first level or the
second).

Therefore, energy is quantized.

 Exciting electrons...
Niels Bohr realized that the spectra were being created as
electrons moved between these energy levels:
● If an electron absorbs energy, it may jump to a higher
energy level.
● When an electron is at a higher energy level we say that
the electron is in its “excited” state.
● When the electron releases energy in the form of
radiation, we say that the electron has returned to its
“ground” state.
● The type of radiation that is emitted depends on the
amount of energy released (more on that in a moment)
The Bohr Model (excitation)
4th Energy Level
1st Energy Level

Energy Coming In! Nucleus

2nd Energy Level 3rd Energy Level

The Bohr Model (emission)
4th Energy Level
1st Energy Level

Energy emitted (ultraviolet light)

Nucleus

Energy emitted (red light)

Energy emitted (infrared)

3rd Energy Level

2nd Energy Level
 The Bohr Model
(alternate emission)
4th Energy Level
1st Energy Level

Energy emitted (ultraviolet light)

Nucleus

Energy emitted (blue/green light)

2nd Energy Level

3rd Energy Level
 Types of Radiation
The following are types of electromagnetic radiation, listed
from highest energy to the lowest:
● Gamma rays: cosmic radiation,
very high energy
● Ultraviolet rays (UV): solar radiation,
high energy
● Infrared rays (IR): thermal radiation, remote controls, low
energy
● Visible Light (more to follow)
● Microwave rays: microwave oven, very low energy
● Radio: lowest energy waves
 Types of Radiation
● Bohr saw visible light:
 wavelength is in the
range of 400 to 700
nanometers (4 x 10-7
meters)
 ROY G. BIV
 White light is made of all
the colors of light
 Energy Levels and Spectra
Electrons release certain types of electromagnetic
radiation as they fall to specific energy levels

Energy Level Spectra Emission

Change
2 --> 1 Ultraviolet
3 --> 1 Ultraviolet
4 --> 1 Ultraviolet
3 --> 2 Visible Red
4 --> 2 Visible Blue/Green
5 --> 2 Visible Blue
4 --> 3 Infrared
 Quantum Theory
● Energy emission and absorption from
elements like hydrogen led to scientists
attempting to explain why…
 Quantum Mechanical Model

● In addition to knowing that there were energy

levels in the atom, three scientists began to
notice other things...
 Heisenberg – impossible to know the exact position
and exact speed of an electron at the same time

 De Broglie – electrons have wave-like properties,

as in they move in wave patterns

 Schroedinger – developed probability of finding

each electron in a given location
Using the Quantum Mechanical
Model

● Quantum mechanics is
a mathematical way of
describing where
electrons are located.
● It is based on the
probability of finding an
electron in the space
outside the nucleus.
 Why Quantum Numbers?

● The quantum numbers are like an address:

 State
 City
 Street
 House Number

● Each piece of information is needed to

describe the location, and each one tells
more specific information about where the
electron is located.
First Quantum Number
Energy level (n)
• Each energy
level is farther
away from the
nucleus.
E5
E4
E3
E2 • Electrons are
E1
attracted to the
nucleus
nucleus, so
they will fill the
lower energy
levels first!
 Second Quantum Number
Subshell (l)

As the energy levels increase, so do the number of

subshells that are needed to cover all the space
around the atom.
The first energy level (n=1) has 1 subshell (s)
The second energy level (n=2) has 2 subshells (s & p)
The third energy level (n=3) has 3 subshells (s, p, & d)
The fourth energy level (n=4) has 4 subshells (s, p, d, & f)
 Extension…
● How many subshells would be present in
energy level 5?
 Answer: 5!
 s, p, d, f, and g

● How many subshells would be present in

energy level 6?
 Answer: 6!
 s, p, d, f, g, and h
 Subshells
● s orbital = sphere

● p orbital = peanut

● d orbital = double peanut

● f orbital = flower
 Quantum Mechanical Model
● To recap:
 Energy level 1 = 1 subshell (s)
 Energy level 2 = 2 subshells (s and p)
 Energy level 3 = 3 subshells (s, p, and d)
 Energy level 4 = 4 subshells (s, p, d, and f)
 etc.
● Why are more subshells present?
 Each energy level is larger than the
previous. As a result, there are more
possible locations for where an electron
could reside.
Nucleus

1s subshell
2s subshell
2p subshell
3s subshell
3p subshell
3d subshell
4s subshell
 Third Quantum Number
Atomic Orbitals ( ml )

The atomic orbital essentially describes how many

•

of that shape of subshell are needed to cover all the

space around the nucleus.

The more complicated the shape, the more orbitals

•

are needed to cover all the space.

 Third Quantum Number
Atomic Orbitals ( ml )

•“s” has 1 orbital (just 1 type of s)

•“p” has 3 orbitals (px, py, pz)
•“d” has 5 orbitals (dxy, dxz, dyz, dz , dx -y )
2 2 2

•“f” has 7 orbitals (etc., etc.,)

There is 1 s orbital

There are 3 p orbitals

There are 5 d orbitals

There are 7 f orbitals

 Fourth Quantum Number
Electron Spin
( ms )
Each electron can be spin up (+1/2) or spin down (-1/2)
No two electrons in the same orbital
orientation can have the same spin.

With only one spin up and one spin down,

the maximum number of electrons that
can fit into any given orbital orientation is
two.

This is called the Pauli Exclusion

Principle.
 Maximum
Number of
Possible Possible
Energy Level Atomic Orbitals Electrons in
Subshells Electrons in
Each Subshell
Energy Level

1 s 1 2 2

s 1 2
2 8
p 3 6

s 1 2
3 p 3 6 18
d 5 10

s 1 2
p 3 6
4 32
d 5 10
f 7 14
 Aufbau Principle /
Hunds’ Rule
Aufbau:
Fill from the
ground up
Hund’s
Rule:
When
choosing
between
equivalent
orbitals, fill
the empty
orbitals first