Question

Difference between shell,subshell,orbit and orbital.Provide one example as Well!!

Answer 1

Here's a graphic I use to explain the difference in my general chemistry courses:

Shells, sub-shells, and orbitals

All electrons that have the same value for n

(the principle quantum number) are in the same shell
Within a shell (same n
), all electrons that share the same l
(the angular momentum quantum number, or orbital shape) are in the same sub-shell
When electrons share the same n
, l, and ml

, we say they are in the same orbital (they have the same energy level, shape, and orientation)

So to summarize:

same n

- shell
same n
and l
- sub-shell
same n
, l, and ml

- orbital

Now, in the other answer, there is some discussion about spin-orbitals, meaning that each electron would exist in its own orbital. For practical purposes, you don't need to worry about that - by the time those sorts of distinctions matter to you, there won't be any confusion about what people mean by "shells" and "sub-shells." For you, for now, orbital means "place where up to two electrons can exist," and they will both share the same n
, l, and ml values, but have opposite spins (ms).