Question

Consider the four quantum numbers of an electron in an atom, n, l, ml, and ms. The energy of an electron in an isolated atom depends on:______a. l, ml, and msonly.b. n only.c. n and l only.d. n, l, and mlonly.e. all four quantum numbers.

Answer 1

Answer:

The energy of an electron in an isolated atom depends on b. n only.

Explanation:

The quantum number n, known as the principal quantum number represents the relative overall energy of each orbital.

The sets of orbitals with the same n value are often referred to as an electron shell, in an isolated atom all electrons in a subshell have exactly the same level of energy.

The principal quantum number comes from the solution of the Schrödinger wave equation, which describes energy in eigenstates $E_n$, and for the case of an hydrogen atom we have:

$E_n=-\cfrac{13.6}{n^2}\, eV$

Thus for each value of n we can describe the orbital and the energy corresponding to each electron on such orbital.