Chapter 29: Problem 7
(a) How many different \(5 g\) states does hydrogen have? (b) Which of the states in part (a) has the largest angle between \(\overrightarrow{\boldsymbol{L}}\) and the \(z\) axis, and what is that angle? (c) Which of the states in part (a) has the smallest angle between \(\vec{L}\) and the \(z\) axis, and what is that angle?
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Understanding Quantum Numbers
Determine Number of 5g States
Calculating the Angle - General Expression
Finding the State with Largest Angle
Finding the State with Smallest Angle
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Quantum Numbers
- Principal Quantum Number ( \( n \) ): Indicates the size and energy level of an electron's orbit. It can take any positive integer value (1, 2, 3,...).
- Azimuthal Quantum Number ( \( l \) ): Sometimes called the angular momentum quantum number, it determines the shape of an orbital. The value of \( l \) ranges from 0 to \( n-1 \).
- Magnetic Quantum Number ( \( m_l \) ): Specifies the orientation of the orbital in space and ranges from \( -l \) to \( +l \).
- Spin Quantum Number on: Associated with the intrinsic spin of the particle, it can have values of \( +\frac{1}{2} \) or \( -\frac{1}{2} \).
Angular Momentum
- The magnitude of the angular momentum vector is given by \( L = \sqrt{l(l+1)} \hbar \), where \( l \) is the azimuthal quantum number and \( \hbar \) is the reduced Planck's constant.
- Angular momentum signifies the rotational motion, analogous to classical mechanics but with discretized values in quantum systems.
- Angular momentum vectors have both a magnitude and an associated direction, with the orientation related to the magnetic quantum number \( m_l \).
Magnetic Quantum Number
- The range of \( m_l \) for a given azimuthal quantum number \( l \) is from \( -l \) to \( +l \), inclusive, which means there are \( 2l + 1 \) possible values for \( m_l \).
- Each different value of \( m_l \) corresponds to a different orientation of the electron's angular momentum. For a 5g state, where \( l = 4 \), \( m_l \) can range from \(-4\) to \(4\). This gives us 9 possible states: \( -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 \).
- The magnetic quantum number affects an electron's energy when it is placed in a magnetic field, although in the absence of a field (like in hydrogen), it primarily determines the direction of the electron’s angular momentum.
Angle Calculation in Quantum Mechanics
- The angle \( \theta \) gives insight into the orientation of the angular momentum relative to a chosen axis, often the z-axis in quantum problems.
- When \( m_l = 0 \), the angle \( \theta \) is \( 90^\circ \) or \( \pi/2 \) radians, indicating that \( \vec{L} \) is perpendicular to the z-axis. This orientation has the maximum angle possible.
- For maximum \( |m_l| \), which is in a 5g state \( m_l = \pm 4 \), the angle \( \theta \) is smallest, calculated as \( \cos^{-1}(\frac{4}{\sqrt{20}}) \approx 26.57^\circ \).
- This calculation helps predict electron behavior in different states and is crucial for visualizing atomic orbitals and their orientations in space.