Shells and subshells, orbits and orbitals, energy levels and subenergy levels

Lets take a quick review of atomic structure. An atom has two basic parts - nucleus which contains protons ,neutrons and other sub atomic particles and around the nucleus are electronic pathways called shells or energy levels.

we can take shells as road (for simple understanding in real shells are not defined paths) and subshells as lane's capacity in a road. Some road has just capacity of one lane, other has two, and others three or four. 

There are two electronic pathways

1. Main Electronic pathways | Shell, Orbit or Energy levels|

Main Electronic pathways are also  called energy levels as each pathway has its own specific energy. Other terms for energy levels are shells and orbits. Shell nearest to the nucleus has least energy and energy increases as shells/orbits lies far from the nucleus.Energy levels are represented by "n" . Each energy level is designated by an alphabet like K,L,M,N...Etc

First shell has value n= 1, second shell is n=2, and third shell = 3 and so on. 

Table showing number of electrons in each shells

2. Sub electronic pathways.| subshells |orbitals| sub energy levels|

 

within shells there are subshells also known as sub energy levels or orbitals.There are upto 4 subshells in a shell. These are represented by s,p,d,f. Number of electrons in each subshell is fix. s accommodates maximum 2 electrons always. p accommodates maximum 6 electrons, d accommodates 10 electrons maximum and f accommodates maximum 14 electrons.

 

Table for number of electrons in subshells.

Electrons revolves around the nucleus in specific pathways. Accommodations of electrons in electronic pathways orbits and orbitals occurs by compatible energies of electron and its pathway. Each orbit has specific energy and electron of compatible energy will accommodate that specific orbit and orbitals.

 

Capacity of shells to accommodate subshell.

Each shell can accommodate specific number of subshells. K (n=1) will accommodate just one subshell that is "1s". L (n =2) will accommodate two subshells that are 2s and 2p. M (n=3) will accommodate three subshells those are 3s, 3p and 3d. N (n=4) will accommodate 4 subshells those are 4s,4p,4d and 4f.

 

Note:

 

Terms shell and subshell  were introduced by Bohr in Bohr's atomic model later on after explanation of quantum numbers new terms orbit  and orbitals  and energy levels and sub energy levels were introduced.