What the relationship between electron orbital and energy shells (energy levels)
The correct answer and explanation is:
The relationship between electron orbitals and energy shells (or energy levels) is essential to understanding atomic structure. Energy shells, also known as principal energy levels, represent the fixed distances from the nucleus where electrons are likely to be found. These shells are labeled by the principal quantum number (n), where n = 1, 2, 3, and so on. Each shell can hold a specific number of electrons and consists of sublevels or orbitals.
Orbitals are regions within an energy shell where there is a high probability of finding an electron. They are categorized into different types: s, p, d, and f orbitals. Each type of orbital has a characteristic shape and orientation. For instance, s orbitals are spherical, while p orbitals are dumbbell-shaped. The number of orbitals in a shell depends on the energy level. For example, the first energy level (n = 1) contains only an s orbital, while the second energy level (n = 2) contains an s orbital and three p orbitals.
As the energy level increases, the number of orbitals also increases. The total number of orbitals in an energy level is given by the formula 2n², where n is the principal quantum number. This formula also dictates the maximum number of electrons each energy level can hold, which is 2n² electrons. For example, the first energy level can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, the second can hold up to 8, and the third can hold up to 18.
The arrangement of electrons within these orbitals follows the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons in the same atom can have the same set of quantum numbers. Therefore, electrons fill the orbitals of an energy level in a specific order, with lower energy orbitals being filled first before higher energy ones. This configuration determines the chemical behavior of an element.