"Orbital" vs "Subshell"

[JennyZhu1K]

What is the difference between an orbital and a subshell?

[Ella Henrickson 3I]

A subshell is the level the electron is inhabiting and is given by n (so like n=1, n=2, etc). It tells you the energy of the electron through the E_n= -hR / n^2

An orbital is the shape the electron moves in and is given by l (angular momentum quantum number). l tells you the orbital (like l=0 is s-orbital and l=1 is the p-orbital). The orbital shape is determined by nodal planes where there is no chance of finding electrons.

So basically, the subshell is n and the orbital is l :)

[Brian Diehl 2B]

A subshell is the level the electron is inhabiting and is given by n (so like n=1, n=2, etc). It tells you the energy of the electron through the E_n= -hR / n^2

An orbital is the shape the electron moves in and is given by l (angular momentum quantum number). l tells you the orbital (like l=0 is s-orbital and l=1 is the p-orbital). The orbital shape is determined by nodal planes where there is no chance of finding electrons.

So basically, the subshell is n and the orbital is l :)

I believe you are describing the difference between a shell vs. a subshell here. The subshell, not the orbital, is the shape/pathway an electron moves within a shell, given by the angular momentum quantum number l. An orbital is the mathematical function we use to describe the wave-like behavior of an electron, given by the magnetic quantum number m_l.

I find it very easy to mix up these two as well! I have to remember that orbitals are the smallest scope, where each orbital can contain a maximum of 2 electrons. Since subshells are composed of orbitals, the maximum number of electrons in each subshell will vary depending on the type of subshell. This chart has helped me make this distinction clearer:

[805757847]

Hi,

There's four quantum numbers describing electron's position:
n = principle quantum number = shell, describes size and energy
l = angular quantum number = subshell, describes the shape
ml = orientation magnetic quantum number = orbital, describes the orientation
ms = spin magnetic quantum number = spin of electron, describes the direction of spin of electrons

Hope this could help!

[Muryam_Hasan_2I]

The specificity goes from shell (given by n) to subshell (given by nl (ex: 1s, 2s, 2p, etc)) to orbital (given by ml) to an electron from the two allowed in each orbital (given by the spin).

[Jieun 2C]

A subshell is "made of" orbitals. Subshell can be defined by the angular momentum quantum number (l) which defines the shape of the orbital. While orbital can be defined by the magnetic quantum number (ml) which specifies which orbital the electron is in and the orientation.

[Uma Patil 2A]

subshell is defined by quantum numbers n and l. a subshell is a group of orbitals. The quantum numbers n, l, and ml give you the actual orbital within the subshell.

[EvaHeinrichs3C]

what is "angular momentum"?

[305692127]

what is "angular momentum"?

Angular momentum is the property of any rotating object given by moment of inertia times angular velocity.The equation that associates with it is L=lxw.

[tashyavakil 2K]

the sub shell would be s, p, d, f and the orbital is within that such as s has 1 orbital, p has 3...etc.

[Madison Yee 2B]

The subshell refers to l, the angular momentum quantum number. This is l, which can be equal to 0 to n-1, where 0 represents s, 1 represents p, 2 represents d, and 3 represents f. The orbital is represented by the magnetic quantum number ml, which can equal numbers -l to l. In the case of the p subshell for example, ml would specify the subshell's orientation along the x axis, y axis, or z axis.

[Kirsten Yu 2K]

what is "angular momentum"?

The formula to calculate angular momentum is (L) = mvr, where m = mass, v = velocity, and r = radius.

[Alejandro Oliva 2F]

The key difference between orbital and subshell is the way in which they are identified in the molecule. The values for these components are indicated by:
l = angular quantum number = subshell (shape)
ml = orientation magnetic quantum number = orbital (orientation)

[205282258]

sub shells are made up of orbitals. The subshells are s, p, d, and f. each one can have a different amount of orbitals