The answer to this question lies in the fact that electrons are not always found at the lowest energy level possible. In fact, they are often found at higher energy levels, or orbitals, within an atom. The reason for this is that the electrons are constantly in motion and, as a result, they have different amounts of energy depending on their location.
The energy levels of an atom are divided into sublevels, which are further divided into orbitals. The orbitals are where the electrons are actually located. The lowest energy level is the ground state, which is where the electrons are most likely to be found. The next highest energy level is the first excited state, followed by the second excited state, and so on.
The sublevels within each energy level are distinguished by their orbital shapes. The s orbitals are spherical in shape, while the p orbitals are shaped like dumbbells. The d orbitals are shaped like cloverleafs, and the f orbitals are shaped like double dumbbells.
Each orbital can hold a certain number of electrons. The s orbitals can hold up to two electrons, the p orbitals can hold up to six electrons, the d orbitals can hold up to 10 electrons, and the f orbitals can hold up to 14 electrons.
The reason that the orbitals have different shapes is because they have different energies. The higher the energy of an orbital, the farther away from the nucleus it is. The electrons in the higher energy orbitals are less likely to be found there, because they have more energy and are more likely to be found in the lower energy orbitals.
The sublevels are distinguished by their letter designation. The ground state is the lowest energy level and is designated as the letter s. The first excited state is the next highest energy level and is designated as the letter p. The second excited state is the next highest energy level and is designated as the letter d. The third excited state is the next highest energy level and is designated as the letter f.
Other related questions:
Q: How do you sublevels of principal energy levels differ?
A: The sublevels of principal energy levels differ in terms of their energy levels. The higher the energy level, the higher the sublevel will be.
Q: What causes the sublevels within the same principal energy level to have different energies?
A: The sublevels within the same principal energy level have different energies because of the different values of the angular momentum quantum number, l.
Q: How does an electron move between different atomic energy levels quizlet?
A: An electron can move between different atomic energy levels by absorbing or emitting a photon.
Q: What can be produced when electrons move from one energy level to another?
A: Electrons can move from one energy level to another and produce various types of electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, ultraviolet light, and X-rays.