Every high school learner, in each corner of the world, faces the lesson History of Atom during his courses, just as I did. We learned about s, p, d and f orbitals, though there were no signs of orbitals in molecules.
Then I wondered, are there any other orbitals, simpler or more complex, than the four mentioned? Surprisingly, I learned that there are also usages for orbitals g, h, i and even k and l.
Yes, I use the word "usages". Because I believe, unless something is useful, it will never enter the domain of science. Anyway, I read in Wikipedia (though not much of it I did understand) that these orbitals are used when describing and doing the measurements of molecular orbitals.
Since no element in the periodic table has enough electrons to fill even orbital g (in its base state), in cases of molecular orbitals that have a g defined in themselves, atoms must have been excited. Excitation needs energy, doesn't it? Where does this energy come from? Isn't the formation of new bonds usually exothermic?
Answer
Surprisingly, I learned that there are also usages for orbitals g,h,i and even j.
Actually, the letter "j" is not used, so it is s, p, d, f, g, h, i, k, l, etc.
The higher angular momentum orbitals do enter the domain of science, due to excited states of atoms. Transitions to and from excited states are observable through atomic spectroscopy.
For example there is the article Microwave spectroscopy of Al I atoms in Rydberg states: D and G terms
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