Question

hey guys:-
please explain tgat what's difference between sub.shells and orbitals?.
also explain the difference between sub.orbital and de.generated shells..
answer must be great!

Answer 1

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



All electrons that have the same value for nn (the principle quantum number) are in the same shellWithin a shell (same nn), all electrons that share the same ll (the angular momentum quantum number, or orbital shape) are in the same sub-shellWhen electrons share the same nn, ll, and mlml, we say they are in the sameorbital (they have the same energy level, shape, and orientation)

So to summarize:

same nn - shellsame nn and ll - sub-shellsame nn, ll, and mlml - 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 nn, ll, and mlmlvalues, but have opposite spins (msms).

Answer 2

Orbitals that have the same value of the principal quantum number form a shell.Orbitals within a shell are divided intosubshells that have the same value of the angular quantum number . Chemists describe the shell and subshell in which an orbitalbelongs with a two-character code such as 2p or 4f .