Which of the following quantum numbers describes the orientation of an orbital?

1. No such thing, wrong.

2. Tells the shell, 1, 2, 3, etc, wrong.

3. Tells direction of SPIN, -½ for counter clockwise, and ½ for clockwise spin. wrong.

4. Tells you the energy shift, or orientation of the subshell's shape. Correct.

5. Tells you the subshell--s, p, d, f, etc. wrong.

There are 4 quantum numbers: "n" is significant quantum extensive form, and describes the electron shell. n = a million, 2, 3, ... = ok, L, M, N, ... "?" is the orbital quantum extensive form, and describes the subshell, or orbital. ? = 0, a million, ..., n ? a million = s, p, d, f ... "m?" is the magnetic quantum extensive form, and describes the particular orbital (to no longer be perplexed with orbital / subshell). m? = ? ?, ..., ? a million, 0, a million, ..., ? "ms" is the spin quantum extensive form, and describes the electron spin. ms = ± ½ in accordance to Pauli's exclusion theory, an electron can basically have a special quantum state. this ability that no 2 electrons can share the comparable 4 quantum numbers. for this reason if n = 4, ? = 3, m? = ?2 and ms = + ½, there could be an entire of a million electron in that quantum state.

schrodinger describes a wave function -particularly the prob of finding an electron at any point in the region surrounding the nucleus (square of wave function)

principle quant # (n) determines size of orbital

angular moment Q # (l) represents the shape

spin Q # (ms) is +1/2 or -1/2 describing the spin of an electron (more for bookkeeping than physical meaning)

magnetic Q # (ml) represents the spacial direction of the orbital (ie. orientation) therefore the answer is:

4. magnetic quantum number

The principle quantum number tells the energy level.

The azmuthal quantum number tells the sublevel (s, p, d or f)

The magnetic quantum number tells which orbital in a sublevel ** that's the one you want. It will relate to the px, py or pz, for instance.

The spin quantum number identifies the electron in an orbital

The answer is (4).

THESE OTHER ANSWERS ARE ALL WRONG THE CORRECT ANSWER IS "angular momentum quantum number"

the spin

it is either one direction or the opposite