Unit code:

FHSC1134
Unit title:
Inorganic
Chemistry
Modern Atomic Theory
Bohr Theory
Concept of Quantum Numbers
Aufbau Principle, Pauli Exclusion
Principle & Hunds Rule
Electronic configuration (spdf & box
notation)
Inorganic chemistry study of all the
elements in the periodic table.

Studies include: structures, properties

and reactivities of the elements and their
compounds depending on their position
in periodic table.
Elements are placed in order of their
atomic number / proton number
Horizontal rows = periods
Vertical columns = groups
Divided into
s-block = group 1, 2 & 18 (He only)
p-block = group 13 to 18 (except He)
d-block = group 3 to 12
(Transition Elements)
 Modern Atomic Theory
Element = composed of tiny particles called
atoms.
Atoms of an element show same chemical
properties
All atoms made up by protons, neutrons and
electrons
Protons & Neutrons = found in nucleus of atom
Electrons = occupy a volume of space called
orbital around the nucleus
Atoms have no net charge
Structure of An Atom
Properties & Position of Protons, Neutrons &
Electrons In Atom
Subatomic Symbol Relative Mass Mass Location
Particle electrical (g) (amu)
charge
Proton p+ +1 1.6726 1 In the
x 10-24 nucleus
Electron e- -1 9.1094 0.0005 Outside
x 10-28 the
nucleus
Neutron n0 0 1.6749 1 In the
x 10-24 nucleus
1 atomic mass unit (amu) = 1.6605 x 10-24 g
 Bohr Theory
Bohr simplest model of a hydrogen atom:
Lone electron moved in a circular orbit
around the nucleus.

Its referred to Plancks Quantum Theory,

which states that energy can be absorbed
or emitted in fixed amount called quanta.
 Bohr Theory
Bohrs postulation on the hydrogen atom
model:

Lone electron revolves around the nucleus in

fixed circular path = orbits.
Energy of each orbit is associated with a fixed
amount of energy (energy is quantized)
Energy of orbits increases with their distance
from the nucleus.
Each orbit is represented by an integer known as
principle quantum number, n. The orbit closest to
nucleus is given the principle quantum number, n
= 1.
Bohr Model of the Hydrogen Atom
1 H
1

1 p, 1 e-
n=1
n=2
n=3

nucleus
Possible electron orbits
An electron is at the ground state and remain at its
lowest energy orbital if its stable.
An electron is excited to a higher state (excited
state) by absorbing the necessary energy.
Excess energy in the transition between ground and
excited state, E, is released in the form of light.
EE ==hfhf
where f = frequency ;
h = Plancks constant (6.63 x 10-34 J s)
However, this theory does not apply to atoms with 2
or more electrons
 Quantum Numbers
The shape, size, & energy of each orbital is a function
of three quantum numbers which describe the location
of an electron within an atom or ion.

n (principal) shell / energy level

l (orbital) subshell / shape of orbitals
ml (magnetic) orientation of orbitals

There is another quantum number that determines the

direction of the electrons in the orbitals.
ms (spin) spin of the electrons
(clockwise or counterclockwise: or )
 Quantum Numbers
1) Principal quantum number, n
Known as electron shell / electron level
Values = positive integer (1, 2, 3, 4)
n , electrons average distance from the nucleus

2) Angular momentum quantum number, l

subshell / orbital shape / orbital type
Values = positive integer from 0 to ( n -1 )
No. of orbitals in subshell = 2l + 1
energy in sublevels increase in the order of ns < np
< nd < nf
 Subshells and Orbitals
l Subshell Number of orbitals in
subshell = 2l + 1
0 s 1
1 p 3
2 d 5
3 f 7
4 g 9
5 h 11
 Shape of Atomic Orbitals

s orbital p orbital d orbital

 Quantum Numbers
3) Magnetic quantum number, ml
orientation of the orbitals in a subshell
Values = integer; from l to +l including 0
All these orbitals have same energy
Example :
when l = 2,
ml has 5 values: -2, -1, 0, +1, +2

4) Spin quantum number, ms

orientations for electron spin
ms = +1/2 () or -1/2 ()
l = 1, p subshell, ml = 1, 0, -1
three orbitals with same energy level
(degenerate)
Relationships of the Quantum Numbers (n, l, ml)
n l ml Type of Orbitals No. of e- No. of
orbitals available possible orbitals
in the in in in shell
subshell subshell subshell (n2)
(2l +1) [2(2l + 1)]
1 0 0 1s 1 2 1
2 0 0 2s 1 2 4
1 +1, 0, -1 2p 3 6
3 0 0 3s 1 2
1 +1, 0, -1 3p 3 6 9
2 +2, +1, 0, -1, -2 3d 5 10
4 0 0 4s 1 2
1 +1, 0, -1 4p 3 6 16
2 +2, +1, 0, -1, -2 4d 5 10
3 +3, +2, +1, 0, -1, -2, -3 4f 7 14
Exercise
Give the n, l and ml values for the following
orbitals.

a) 3p
b) 5d
c) 4s

How many orbitals present in the electron shell

with the principal quantum number of n = 3?
 Electron Configuration
How electrons are arranged in their shells,
subshells and orbitals
Hydrogens electron configuration :
spdf notation or Orbital box notation

1s1 Number of electrons

assigned to designated
subshell 1s
Electron
shell (n) Orbital type (l)
[subshell]
 3 Rules to determine exact ground state
electron configuration :
1) Aufbau Principle
Orbitals are filled in the order of increasing energy
from lowest level to highest level
Subshells in atom are filled in order of increasing
n+
Electron filling order :
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p 5s
4d 5p 6s 4f 5d ..
 1. Aufbau Principle
Steps:
1s 1. Write the energy levels top to bottom.
2. Write the orbitals in s, p, d, f order.
2s 2p Write the same number of orbitals as
the energy level.
3. Draw diagonal lines from the top right
3s 3p 3d 4.
to the bottom left.
To get the correct order,
follow the arrows!
4s 4p 4d 4f

5s 5p 5d 5f

6s 6p 6d 6f
2) Pauli Exclusion Principle

No 2 electrons in an atom can have the same set of

4 quantum numbers (n, , m , ms)

No atomic orbital can contain > 2 electrons

Each orbital can hold up to 2 electrons with spins

paired (opposite spin directions)
3) Hunds Rule

When there is a set of orbitals of equal energy,

each orbital becomes half-filled before any of them
becomes completely filled

The most stable arrangement of electron is that

with the maximum number of unpaired electrons
(with the same spin direction)
The total energy of an atom as low as
possible
Example : 7N

1s 2s 2p

More stable than

1s 2s 2p
or
 Electron Configurations
Elements Orbital Box Diagram Electron Noble Gas
Configuration Notation
1s 2s 2px 2py 2pz
H (1) 1s1
He (2) 1s2

Li (3) 1s22s1 [He] 2s1

Be (4) 1s22s2 [He] 2s2

B (5) 1s22s22p1 [He] 2s22p1

C (6) 1s22s22p2 [He] 2s22p2

Elements Orbital Box Diagram Electron Noble Gas
Configuration Notation
1s 2s 2px 2py 2pz 3s

N (7) 1s22s22p3 [He] 2s22p3

O (8) 1s22s22p4 [He] 2s22p4

F (9) 1s22s22p5 [He] 2s22p5

Ne (10) 1s22s22p6 [He] 2s22p6

Na (11) 1s22s22p63s1 [Ne] 3s1

Mg (12) 1s22s22p63s2 [Ne] 3s2

 Exercise
Write the electronic configuration for Phosphorous, P
(Z = 15),
(a) using orbital box notation
(b) spdf notation

(a) P :

1s 2s 2p 3s 3p
(b) P : 1s22s22p63s23p3
 Learning Outcomes
Understand the basic concepts and properties of
atom
Write the electron configuration using spdf & box
notation
Describe the structure of atoms in terms of Bohr
theory and modern atomic theory
Understand the principles of Pauli, Aufbau and
Hunds rule, and use these principles to build up
atomic structure
Understand the concept of quantum number