What's the difference between subshell vs orbitals?

[tonyhu]

They seem like the same thing?

[Jared Khoo 1G]

Hopefully this helps. Also there is a chemistry stackexchange post on this topic with helpful images.

If electrons share the value n, it is part of a shell.
If electrons share n and l, it is part of the same sub-shell.
If electrons share n, l and ml then it is in the same orbital.

https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/que ... d-orbitals

[alexfwang3g]

The l value is the subshell. The ml value gives the orbitals.

[Haley Chun 4H]

subshells are the l value and tell you the shape (spdf), while orbitals are the ml value and tell you the orientation (xyz)

[MMckinney_4H]

This picture really helped me out. n (the shell) represents the energy level. l (the subshell) represents the type/ shape of the orbitals. m(sub)l (the orbital) represents the actually orientation of the space that the electron can occupy.

[Kylie Lim 4G]

I think that subshells are s,p,d,f, and the orbitals are the different possible orientations of the subshells.

[Pipiena Malafu 3J]

Orbitals that have the same value of the principal quantum number n; n form a shell.

“Orbitals within a shell are divided into subshells that have the same value of the angular quantum number l.

Chemists describe the shell and subshell in which an orbital belongs with a two-character code such as 2p or 4f. The first character indicates the shell (n = 2 or n = 4). The second character identifies the subshell.

By convention, the following lowercase letters are used to indicate different subshells.”

s: l = 0
p: l = 1
d: l = 2
f: l = 3

Here’s a source that might help: http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/t ... tml#shells

[Destiny_Ryales_3J]

Wait so orbital are just used to describe when sub shells are spherical? I’m confused.

[kendal mccarthy]

Subshells are either s,p,d, or f on the periodic table.
Orbitals are inside subshells.
for example: s has 1 orbital, p has 3 orbitals, d has 5 orbitals, and f has 7 orbitals that each hold 2 electrons.