Question

Is the following statement true or false? The hydrogen atom has a 3s orbital. Explain.

Short answer

The statement "The hydrogen atom has a 3s orbital" is false. The hydrogen atom has only one electron, which occupies the 1s orbital, and does not have any electrons in higher energy level orbitals, such as the 3s orbital.

Step-by-step solution

Understand Atomic Orbitals

An atomic orbital is a mathematical function that describes the behavior of electrons in atoms. Atomic orbitals can be classified based on their energy levels and shapes, using the quantum numbers n, l, and m. The principal quantum number (n) represents the energy level and size of the orbital. The angular momentum quantum number (l) represents the shape of the orbital. For a given energy level n, the value of l can range from 0 to (n-1). When l = 0, it is referred to as an s-orbital, which is spherical in shape.

Analyze the Hydrogen Atom

The hydrogen atom has only one electron in its simplest form. The electron configuration for a hydrogen atom can be represented as 1s¹, meaning that its one electron resides in the 1s orbital.

Evaluate the Statement

The statement "The hydrogen atom has a 3s orbital" implies that the hydrogen atom has an electron in the 3s orbital. Since hydrogen has only one electron and it occupies the 1s orbital (lowest energy level), the hydrogen atom does not have an electron in the 3s orbital.

Conclusion

The statement "The hydrogen atom has a 3s orbital" is false. The hydrogen atom has only one electron, which occupies the 1s orbital, and does not have any electrons in higher energy level orbitals, such as the 3s orbital.

Key concepts

Quantum Numbers

Quantum numbers are essential to understand the structure of atomic orbitals. They help describe the position and energy of an electron within an atom. There are four quantum numbers, but here we’ll focus on three:

• Principal Quantum Number (\(n\)): Indicates the main energy level of the electron, effectively showing the size and energy of an orbital. When \(n = 1\), the orbital is the smallest, and as \(n\) increases, so do the size and energy.
• Angular Momentum Quantum Number (\(l\)): Determines the shape of the orbital. For any given \(n\), \(l\) can be any integer from 0 to \(n-1\). A value of \(l=0\) signifies an s-orbital, which is spherical.
• Magnetic Quantum Number (\(m_l\)): Describes the orientation of the orbital in space and depends on \(l\). The values range from \(-l\) to \(+l\).

These quantum numbers together help in describing where electrons can be found and predict how they behave.

Hydrogen Atom

The hydrogen atom is the most basic of atoms, containing just one electron orbiting a single proton. Understanding this atom is key to grasping more complex structures. Its simplicity is reflected in its electron configuration:

• The one electron in hydrogen occupies the 1s orbital, the lowest possible energy state for an electron in an atom.
• The electron configuration of hydrogen is written as 1s¹, meaning one electron is in the 1s orbital.
• Since there's only one electron, it doesn’t move to higher energy orbitals under normal conditions.

The statement about a hydrogen atom having a 3s orbital relates to energy states it doesn’t naturally achieve, as the single electron stays in the 1s orbital.

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes how electrons are distributed in the orbitals of an atom. This concept is crucial for understanding chemical properties and bonding patterns.

• Configurations use the principal quantum number and subshell designations (s, p, d, f) to show where electrons reside.
• The hydrogen atom's configuration is simple with just 1s¹, as it only needs one orbital to house its single electron.
• In the context of the exercise, when discussing a 3s orbital, it pertains to orbitals that exist at higher energy levels in more complex atoms.

Electron configurations give insight into the atom’s potential behavior in chemical reactions and interactions.