Atomic Number, Orbitals & Subshells: Definition & Image

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In summary, the atomic number of an atom is primarily defined by the number of protons, with variations in neutrons creating different isotopes. Orbitals are the regions around an atom where electrons are most likely to be found, and they are further divided into subshells. In the image provided, A highlights a 4f orbital while B highlights a specific lobe of that orbital. The letters associated with subshells correspond to the orbital's shape, while the superscript numbers indicate the magnetic quantum number.
  • #1
Helicobacter
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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]

Thanks in advance.
 
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  • #2
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 occurring isotopes.
 
  • #3
It isn't homework; I don't even have Chemistry.
 
  • #4
Helicobacter said:
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]

Thanks in advance.
Yes, A highlights the 4f orbital and B highlights an orbital.
 
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  • #5
I just thought you call the whole thing orbital, but it seems that you also call its components orbitals...
 
  • #6
Helicobacter said:
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]

Thanks in advance.
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:
[itex]s,~ p,~ d,~ f[/itex] - subshells
[itex]p_x, ~p_y,~p_z[/itex] - orbitalsEdit: Okay, to be more specific, it's a 4f orbital (one of [itex]4f_{x^3},~4f_{y^3},4f_{z^3} [/itex])

http://winter.group.shef.ac.uk/orbitron/AOs/4f/index.html
 
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  • #7
O.k., thanks for the clarification, Gokul. The manipulated 3D-coordinates at the end of the configuration notation (e.g., z^3 in [itex]4f_{z^3}[/itex] correspond to the magnetic quantum number [itex]m{l}[/itex], right?
 
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1. What is an atomic number?

The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. It is represented by the letter Z and determines the identity of an element.

2. What are orbitals?

Orbitals are regions of space where electrons are most likely to be found in an atom. They are represented by different shapes and can hold a maximum of two electrons each.

3. How many subshells are there?

There are four types of subshells: s, p, d, and f. Each subshell has a different shape and can hold a specific number of electrons. The s subshell can hold 2, the p subshell can hold 6, the d subshell can hold 10, and the f subshell can hold 14 electrons.

4. How are orbitals and subshells related?

Each subshell is made up of one or more orbitals. The s subshell has one orbital, the p subshell has three orbitals, the d subshell has five orbitals, and the f subshell has seven orbitals. The number of subshells and the number of orbitals within each subshell determine the total number of electrons that can be held in an atom.

5. How can the image of orbitals be used to understand the arrangement of electrons?

The image of orbitals provides a visual representation of the different shapes and orientations of orbitals within an atom. By understanding the arrangement of orbitals, we can determine the energy levels and electron configurations of an atom, which can help predict its chemical and physical properties.

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