1. What is meant by the term “ground state”? It is the lowest energy state that an electron can occupy

2. Why do gaps exist in the emission spectra of elements? Because there only certain fixed “excited states” that exist for each electron. The gaps are where no excited states exist.

3. Who is responsible for the idea of quantum numbers? Ernest Schrodinger

4. What do quantum numbers tell you? Properties of the electron orbitals and properties of the electrons in those orbitals. (energy level, general location…)

5. How many electrons can an orbital hold? Two

6. Where do “quantum numbers” come from? They are the solutions to a complicated equation that is based on the wave properties of electrons.

7. What is the 3 in 3s, or the 4 in 4d, called (what is the term for it)? The “principal quantum number”.

8. What does the 3 in 3s, or the 4 in 4d tell us? The energy level The shell number Ex: In the 4d orbital, the electrons are in the 4 th energy level.

9. What has more energy, a 3s orbital or a 4p orbital? The first number refers to the energy level. Because 4 is greater than 3, 4p has more energy than 3s.

10. Which is closer to the nucleus: a 2s orbital or a 4d orbital? The 2s, because it has the smaller principle quantum number.

11. What is the s in 3s, or the d in 4d, called (what is the term for it)? The “angular momentum quantum number”.

12. What does the angular momentum quantum number” tell us (The s in 4s or the d in 3d)? The shape of the orbital.

13. What is the difference between an “s” and “p” orbital? s orbitals have a spherical shape. p orbitals have a dumb-bell shape.

14. What is the third quantum number called? The magnetic quantum number.

15. What does the third quantum number tell us? The orientation of the orbital about an axis.