1. Given the following set of quantum numbers: 3py -1/2. A chemistry student claims that this represents a peanut-shaped electron. Is she correct?
Answer (Am I correct? If not, how?) : She is correct because 3py is a peanut shape with -1/2 being the spin.
2. A chemistry student claims that there is no difference between an s orbital in the first main energy level and an s orbital in the second main energy level. Is he correct?
Answer (Am I correct? If not, how?) : there is a difference because the s orbital in the second main energy level is greater than the first main energy level.
1. You are incorrect. The quantum numbers provided, 3py and -1/2, do not represent a peanut-shaped electron. The principal quantum number (n = 3) indicates the energy level of the electron, while the azimuthal quantum number (l = 1) represents the shape of the orbital. In this case, l = 1 corresponds to a p orbital, which has a dumbbell shape rather than a peanut shape. The magnetic quantum number (m = 0) determines the orientation of the orbital in space.
The spin quantum number (-1/2) simply indicates the spin of the electron, which can be either -1/2 (spin-down) or +1/2 (spin-up).
2. You are incorrect. There is no difference between an s orbital in the first main energy level (n = 1) and an s orbital in the second main energy level (n = 2) in terms of shape. Both s orbitals are spherical in shape, regardless of the energy level. The main difference between s orbitals in different energy levels is their size, as the higher the principal quantum number (n), the larger the orbital radius. So, while the shape remains the same, the s orbital in the second main energy level will have a larger size compared to the s orbital in the first main energy level.