Did chad make a mistake?

[marymatthews]

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For the Electron Configuration Video, Chad explains that the Principle Quantum Number for four (n=4) consists of the s, p, d, and f subshells.
However, I learned that the f subshell only appears in the n=6 and n=7
The f block starts at n=6 and n=7, so how does the f subshell appear in n=4 and n=5 as well?
n=4 should only consist of s, p, and d since those blocks are present based on the periodic table...
correct?
thanks

 

[luv8724]

n=4 does not mean s, p, d, and f... It means which period is your element in?

for ex.. Hydrogen will have n=1 for being in the first period

anyway.. if it's n=4, it will have 4s2, 3d10, 4p6 within this area..

so no f subshell here.. I dont think DAT really covers f subshell..

 

[jirotrom]

no... he is right... I dont have a periodic table in front of me but the f subshell starts at 4. I think its at row 6... could be where your confusion is coming from

 

[marymatthews]

I am pretty sure the f subshell starts with the n=6 and n=7....
No element with n=4 uses the f subshell though
like you said:
"anyway.. if it's n=4, it will have 4s2, 3d10, 4p6 within this area.. "
... so theres no f

 

[herkulease]

It consists of up to the F shell.

it does not mean that if you have an N=4 you will always get an F shell.

Like the N=3 has a d subshell.

but that does not that I will always have a 3d filled fully or even partially.

take Calcium for instance. in the ground state the electron config, You stop at 4s2, you don't fill the 3d shell at all.

its aufbau or however you spell his name.

Yes you're correct you have to have an element with N = 6 to have a 4f subshell partially filled.

but that same element with an N=6 also has an N=4. N merely refers to a particular shell.

 

[marymatthews]

It consists of up to the F shell.

it does not mean that if you have an N=4 you will always get an F shell.

Like the N=3 has a d subshell.

but that does not that I will always have a 3d filled fully or even partially.

take Calcium for instance. in the ground state the electron config, You stop at 4s2, you don't fill the 3d shell at all.

its aufbau or however you spell his name.

Yes you're correct you have to have an element with N = 6 to have a 4f subshell partially filled.

but that same element with an N=6 also has an N=4. N merely refers to a particular shell.

with all due respect, i have no idea what you just said

 

[Troyvdg]

with all due respect, i have no idea what you just said

yea, that was a little confusing, but I understand what he was trying to say.

@ marymatthews, n does not correlate to the period #, it has to do with the energy/size of the subshell.

so yes, while the f subshell does start in period 6 and 7, the f subshell has an n value of 4 and 5 respectively.

so for n=4 you would have s, p, d, and f subshells

 

[UndergradGuy7]

Quantum numbers

If n = 4

then l can be 0, 1, 2, or 3.
0=s
1=p
2=d
3=f

so yes it can exist... right?

 

[Troyvdg]

Quantum numbers

If n = 4

then l can be 0, 1, 2, or 3.
0=s
1=p
2=d
3=f

so yes it can exist... right?

yessir 👍

just like for n=4 you'd have 16 orbitals

s _ 1
p _ _ _ 3
d _ _ _ _ _ 5
f _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 7