Vocabulary confusion

[Madelyn Romberg 3L]

What is the difference between principal quantum number and magnetic quantum number?

[Sean_Rodriguez_1J]

The principal quantum number (denoted by n) specifies the shell that an electron is in, and it is just a whole number starting from 1 (1, 2, 3...). The magnetic quantum number (denoted by ml, with the l in the subscript) specifies which orbital of the sub shell the electron is in. Its values are based on the orbital angular momentum number (l) and can go anywhere from -l to l (-l, -l+1... l-1, l).

[Hai-Lin Yeh 1J]

The principal quantum number is n, which can be 1, 2, 3... (all integers from 1) and they represents the size of the orbital and energy. Magnetic is denoted as ml, which is basically -l....0...+l and it ml represents the orbital orientation.

Note: l is called angular and can be integers starting from 0 up to n-1. It also represents orbital shape.