Chemistry › Section F · Electronic structure and periodic properties › Topic F.3
Quantum theory and orbitals
Bohr's orbits explained hydrogen but nothing heavier. The theory that replaced them treats the electron as a wave, describes where it is likely to be rather than where it is, and labels each electron with four quantum numbers that organise the whole of chemistry.
In this topic
- Beyond Bohr's orbits
- Matter waves
- Worked example: an electron and a tennis ball
- The uncertainty principle
- Wavefunctions and orbitals
- Quantum numbers n and l
- Orientation, shapes and nodes
- Spin and the Pauli principle
- Worked example: the n = 3 shell
- Worked example: allowed sets of quantum numbers
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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