# Atomic number and

1. Aug 8, 2006

### Helicobacter

Atomic number and Orbitals

1. Does the amount of protons define the atom? The other subatomic elements just seem to distort the properties on a much smaller scale: electrons seem to only change the charge, and neutrons the stability.
Basically I just need the atomic number to define an atom, right?

2. In the following image, the red circle in A contains what is defined as being an orbital, and B a subshell, right?

http://img331.imageshack.us/img331/1310/orbitalspi1.png [Broken]

Last edited by a moderator: May 2, 2017
2. Aug 8, 2006

### Staff: Mentor

Sounds like homework. I can't see the image in #2 so I pass on it.

1. Yes, protons define the "species" of atom. Changing the number of neutrons (while still keeping a somewhat stable nucleus) creates the various isotopes of the element. For example, hydrogen has 1 proton, and may have a neutron or two. Uranium has 92 protons, and varying numbers of neutrons eg., U238 & U235 & U234 - the naturallly occuring isotopes.

3. Aug 8, 2006

### Helicobacter

It isn't homework; I don't even have Chemistry.

4. Aug 8, 2006

### Hootenanny

Staff Emeritus
Yes, A highlights the 4f orbital and B highlights an orbital.

Last edited by a moderator: May 2, 2017
5. Aug 8, 2006

### Helicobacter

I just thought you call the whole thing orbital, but it seems that you also call its components orbitals...

6. Aug 8, 2006

### Gokul43201

Staff Emeritus
A is a picture of a specific f-orbital - one of the 7 kinds of orbitals associated with the f-subshell.

The lobe circled in B is just a portion of the orbital.

For a clarification of the terminology:
$s,~ p,~ d,~ f$ - subshells
$p_x, ~p_y,~p_z$ - orbitals

Edit: Okay, to be more specific, it's a 4f orbital (one of $4f_{x^3},~4f_{y^3},4f_{z^3}$)

http://winter.group.shef.ac.uk/orbitron/AOs/4f/index.html

Last edited by a moderator: May 2, 2017
7. Aug 8, 2006

### Helicobacter

O.k., thanks for the clarification, Gokul. The manipulated 3D-coordinates at the end of the configuration notation (e.g., z^3 in $4f_{z^3}$ correspond to the magnetic quantum number $m{l}$, right?

Last edited: Aug 8, 2006