Question

Although a hydrogen atom has only one electron, the hydrogen atom possesses a complete set of available orbitals. What purpose do these additional orbitals serve?

Short answer

Although a hydrogen atom has only one electron with an electron configuration of 1s^1, it still possesses a complete set of available orbitals such as 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 3d, and so on, with increasing energy levels. These additional orbitals serve several purposes, including the ability to form chemical bonds, facilitate excitations and relaxations of electrons, and help us understand and predict reaction pathways and energetics involving hydrogen atoms in chemical reactions.

Step-by-step solution

Define the Hydrogen Atom and its Electron Configuration

A hydrogen atom is the simplest atom consisting of just one proton and one electron. Due to the presence of just one electron, its electron configuration is 1s^1, where '1' represents the principal quantum number (n), 's' denotes the type of orbital (spherical), and the superscript '1' indicates the number of electrons in that orbital.

Briefly Describe Orbitals and their Importance

Orbitals are regions in space where there is a high probability of finding an electron. They come in different shapes, such as s (spherical), p (dumbbell), d, and f orbitals, with each having different energy levels. The availability of orbitals in an atom is essential for the arrangement and distribution of electrons in different energy levels, which ultimately determines the chemical properties and behavior of the atom.

Explain the Complete Set of Available Orbitals for Hydrogen Atom

Despite having only one electron, the hydrogen atom also possesses a complete set of orbitals, such as 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 3d, and so on, with increasing energy levels. These orbitals lie empty and are available for the hydrogen atom to accommodate more electrons if needed, for example, during the formation of chemical bonds or participation in chemical reactions.

Discuss the Purpose of Additional Orbitals in Hydrogen Atom

These additional orbitals serve several purposes: 1. They provide the hydrogen atom with the ability to form chemical bonds with other atoms, such as covalent bonds in molecular hydrogen (H2) or ionic bonds in a metal hydride. 2. They facilitate excitations of the electron from the 1s orbital to higher-energy orbitals when the hydrogen atom absorbs energy, such as during the process of absorption spectroscopy. 3. The presence of these orbitals also allows for relaxation, i.e., the electron transitioning back to the lower-energy orbitals, emitting energy in the form of photons, during processes like spontaneous emission or stimulated emission, leading to phenomena like the emission spectrum of the hydrogen atom. 4. They are essential in understanding and predicting the reaction pathways, mechanisms, and energetics of chemical reactions involving hydrogen atoms.