Question

what is the difference between the electron shells, the subshells, and the orbitals?

Answer 1

i think, electron shells are the discrete energy level in an atom where we can find electrons, it is same as electron orbit.
If we further divides energy level of a electron shells then it is called Electron subshell, it is same as electron orbitals, furthermore the classical figure shown in textbooks for s,p,d,f are actually the area where the probability of finding an electron is maximum...

Answer 2

shell indicates principal quantum number n and sub shell indicates azimuthal quantum number l.
always shell is made of different sub shells !!! like Ur town made of lot of streets!!!!!
town is - shell and lots of street - sub shell.!!!
if u say i am leaving in town the probability of finding u is very less bcoz we don't no in which street u are
if U indicate town and street both then the probablity of finding u will will be high...
like this, if u say electronis in n shell it will tell only how far is electron from the nucleus but not about probablity, but if say it is in n=2 shell and l=2 subshell it will count exact position where the electron is residing with more probablity.

Answer 3

Chmvijay, if PQN = 2, AMQN cannot be equal to two.

Answer 4

i didnt get ur answer

Answer 5

The comparison with town and street sounds good...I need to one more thing to that ...Orbital....If shell is your town subshell is the street and orbital is your home....for example if subshell is P then your home is Px or Py or Pz(orbital)....sub-shell and orbit are same....Having said these...What actually theory says that electrons canot travel is a fixed path...so teh whole concept electron travelling in orbit is meaningless...even if your address is given you may not be at home always....you may anywhere at town....but probability of finding you at home more....thts why we fix your home as your location...its applicable to electron as well...