In atomic physics, an electron subshell is a group of atomic orbitals with the same values of the principal quantum numbern and the angular momentum quantum numberl. Multiple subshells comprise an electron shell. Subshells are identified by the letters s, p, d, f, g, h, etc, corresponding to the l-values 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. Atomic physics (or atom physics) is physics of the electron hull of atoms. ... Electron atomic and molecular orbitals A less formal description of the electrons in atoms can be found at Electron configuration. ... In atomic physics, the Principal quantum number (usually written n) is the first quantum number of an atomic orbital. ... The Principal quantum number (usually written n) is the first quantum number of an atomic orbital. ... In atomic physics, an electron shell is a group of atomic orbitals with the same value of the principal quantum number n. ...
The names 's', 'p', 'd', and 'f' originate from a now-discredited system of categorizing spectral lines as "sharp", "principal", "diffuse", or "fundamental", based on their observed fine structure. When the first four types of orbitals were described, they were associated with these spectral line types, but there were no other names. The designations 'g' and 'h' were derived by following alphabetical order. A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from an excess or deficiency of photons in a narrow frequency range, compared with the nearby frequencies. ... 1. ...
Shells and subshells (also called energy levels and sublevels) are defined by the quantum numbers, NOT by the distance of its electrons from the nucleus.
The subshell labels s, p, d, and f originate from a now-discredited system of categorizing spectral lines as "sharp", "principal", "diffuse", or "fundamental", based on their observed fine structure.
It is often abbreviated by noting that the first few subshells are identical to those of one or another noble gas.
Each subshell is denoted by a letter: s, the lowest energy subshell; p, next highest energy subshell; d, higher still; and f, the highest energy subshell of the four.
Subshells are distinguished by the shapes of the orbitals of which they are composed.
The outer d subshell fills in the transition elements (groups 3 to 12), and the outer f subshell fills in the lanthanide (elements 58 to 71) and actinide series (elements 90 to 103).