The Wave Nature of Light

Modern atomic theory arose out of studies of the

interaction of radiation with matter.
Electromagnetic radiation moves through a vacuum
with a speed of 2.99792458  108 m/s.
Electromagnetic waves have characteristic wavelengths
and frequencies.
Example: visible radiation has wavelengths between 400
nm (violet) and 750 nm (red).
Maxwell (1873), proposed that visible light consists of
electromagnetic waves.
Electromagnetic
radiation is the
emission and
transmission of
energy in the form
of electromagnetic
waves.

Speed of light (c) in vacuum = 3.00 x 108 m/s

 Mystery #1, “Black Body Problem”
Solved by Planck in 1900

Energy (light) is emitted or absorbed in

discrete units (quantum).
 Mystery #2, “Photoelectric Effect”
h
Solved by Einstein in 1905

Light has both: KE e-

1.wave nature
2.particle nature
Photon is a “particle” of light
Line Emission Spectrum of Hydrogen Atoms
 Bohr’s Model of
the Atom (1913)

1. e- can only have specific

(quantized) energy values
2. light is emitted as e-
moves from one energy
level to a lower energy
level

7.3
 E = h

E = h

7.3
Bohr Model: Ground states and
excited states
 The Dual Nature of
Matter
THOMSON: electrons are particles
LOUIS DE BROGLIE: 1924, electrons have wave-like properties.
Matter, under appropriate conditions could behave as a
wave, Matter Waves
WERNER HEISENBERG: The dual nature of matter makes it
impossible for us to know exact momentum and exact
location of tiny particles (like electrons) simultaneously. This
indeterminacy is better known as the Heisenberg
Uncertainty Principle
Max Planck (who coined the term Quanta, lumps of light
energy in 1900) wins Nobel prize in 1918
 Schrödinger Wave Equation
In 1926 Erwin Schrödinger wrote an equation that
described both the particle and wave nature of the e -
Wave function () describes:
1. Energy of e- with a given 
2. Probability of finding e- in a volume of space
Schrödinger’s equation can only be solved exactly for
the hydrogen atom. We have to approximate its
solution for multi-electron systems.
The shaped volumes of space are called orbitals.
Probability of electron position seen as a charge cloud/electron cloud
7.5
ORBITALS:
Specific

ENERGY

SHAPE
 Where can you find Todd?
Todd
Peter lives in a dorm in a condominium unit. In each dorm
floor, there are male and female sections per floor. Per
room, there are two beds that are exactly the same. If he is
asked where EXACTLY he lives/sleeps, how would he
answer?

Berkeley Condominium in Katipunan Ave

At the 3rd floor
Male section
Room 314
Bed near window
 Where can you find the electron?
The quantum mechanical model uses a certain way to
describe an orbital. You can say you are asking the
question, Where does my electron live/reside?

 We use three quantum numbers to describe

an orbital. We add a fourth to pinpoint the
electron in that orbital
 Principal quantum no. (n)
 Azimuthal or Angular Momentum quantum no. (l)
 Magnetic quantum no. (ml)
 Spin quantum no. (ms)
 Where can you find the electron?

Berkeley The electron

Condominium in belongs to Chlorine
Katipunan Ave
At the 3rd floor At the 3rd energy level (n=3)

Male section In the p-subshell (l=1)

In one of the three
Room 314 degenerate
orbitals eg. ml= 0
Bed near window Electron is spin-up
eg. ms= +1/2
 Schrödinger Wave Equation

f(n, l, ml, ms)

principal quantum number n

n = 1, 2, 3, 4, ….

distance of e- from the nucleus

n=1 n=2 n=3

7.6
 Schrödinger Wave Equation
= fn(n, l, ml, ms)
angular momentum quantum number l
for a given value of n, l = 0, 1, 2, 3, … n-1

l=0 s orbital
n = 1, l = 0
l=1 p orbital
n = 2, l = 0 or 1
l=2 d orbital
n = 3, l = 0, 1, or 2
l=3 f orbital
Shape of the “volume” of space that the e - occupies

7.6
l = 0 (s orbitals)

l = 1 (p orbitals)

7.6
l = 2 (d orbitals)

7.6
Schrödinger Wave Equation

= fn(n, l, ml, ms)

magnetic quantum number ml

for a given value of l

ml = -l, …., 0, …. +l

if l = 1 (p orbital), ml = -1, 0, or 1
if l = 2 (d orbital), ml = -2, -1, 0, 1, or 2

orientation of the orbital in space

7.6
 ml = -1 ml = 0 ml = 1

ml = -2 ml = -1 ml = 0 ml = 1 ml = 2
7.6
 Schrödinger Wave Equation

= fn(n, l, ml, ms)

spin quantum number ms
ms = +½ or -½

ms = +½ ms = -½

7.6
 Schrödinger Wave Equation
= fn(n, l, ml, ms)

Shell – electrons with the same value of n

Subshell – electrons with the same values of n and l

Orbital – electrons with the same values of n, l, and ml

How many electrons can an orbital hold?

If n, l, and ml are fixed, then ms = ½ or - ½

= (n, l, ml, ½)or= (n, l, ml, -½)

An orbital can hold 2 electrons 7.6
 Schrodinger Wave Equation
= fn(n, l, ml, ms)
Existence (and energy) of electron in atom is described
by its unique wave function .
Pauli exclusion principle - no two electrons in an atom
can have the same set of four quantum numbers.

In other words - no two electrons in the ELECTRON

CONDOMINIUM can have exactly the same address
(include the “bed”)

7.6
Let’s try to assign.

What are all the allowed quantum no. designations for

an electron in Oxygen?
THINK OF THE ELECTRON CONDO AGAIN

We follow certain rules or

principles.

3 1. AUFBAU Principle (Build

up)
3s 3p • Fill up electrons in
lowest-energy orbitals
first
2 2. HUND’s Rule
• The most stable
2s 2p arrangement of electrons
in subshells is the one
with the greatest number
1 of parallel spins
• Fill up DEGENERATE
1s orbitals first
 Energy of orbitals in a single electron atom
Energy only depends on principal quantum number n

n=3

n=2

n=1

7.7
Energy of orbitals in a multi-electron atom
Energy depends on n and l

n=3 l = 2

n=3 l = 1
n=3 l = 0

n=2 l = 1
n=2 l = 0

n=1 l = 0
“Fill up” electrons in lowest energy orbitals (Aufbau principle)

C 6 electrons
B 5 electrons
?? B 1s22s22p1

Li 3 electrons
Be 4 electrons Li 1s 2s
2 1

Be 1s22s2

H 1 electron
He 1s2
H 1s1 He 2 electrons
7.7
The most stable arrangement of electrons in
subshells is the one with the greatest number of
parallel spins (Hund’s rule).

O
F
C
N
Ne97
6
810
electrons
electrons
electrons
Ne
C
N
O
F 1s 1s222s
2s2p2p3246
2 222 5

7.7
Electron configuration is how the electrons are
distributed among the various atomic orbitals in an
atom.
number of electrons
in the orbital or subshell
1s1
principal quantum angular momentum
number n quantum number l

Orbital diagram

H
1s1
7.8
 Order of orbitals (filling) in multi-electron atom

Or better yet,
JUST LOOK AT
THE PERIODIC
TABLE!

1s < 2s < 2p < 3s < 3p < 4s < 3d < 4p < 5s < 4d < 5p < 6s
7.7
Outermost subshell being filled with electrons

7.8
FIRST ROW ELEMENTS: n = 1 l = 0 only s orbitals are possible, denoted as 1s
orbitals.

SECOND ROW ELEMENTS: n =2 l = 0 s orbitals are possible, denoted as 2s orbitals.

l = 1 p orbitals are possible, denoted as 2p orbitals.

THIRD ROW ELEMENTS: n = 3 l =0 s orbitals are possible, denoted as 3s orbitals

l =1 p orbitals are possible, denoted as 3p orbitals,

l =2 and d orbitals are possible, denoted as 3d

orbitals.
37