ES - CI2.4 Electronic Structure: Sub-shells and Orbitals

Sub-shells of Electrons

• Shells are split into sub-shells
• Labelled s, p, d and f
• n = 1 shell has one sub-shell
• n = 2 shell has two sub-shells and so on

• sub-shell s = 2 electrons
• sub-shell p = 6 electrons
• sub-shell d = 10 electrons
• sub-shell f = 14 electrons

n = 1 can hold 2 electrons in sub-shell s

n = 2 can hold 2 electrons in sub-shell s
                      6 electrons in sub-shell p
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