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Electron Clouds and Energy Levels![]()
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However, p and d states are more interesting: there can be several
different-shaped clouds at the same energy.
For example, here are
two p states from the second primary level:
It turns out that there are three kinds of p clouds in each
primary level.
...and each one can hold a spin up and a spin down, so that's why six
electrons fit into the p column!
Very good. You can think of each electron's "quantum
state," its full, unique description, as being the sum of a particular
probability cloud plus a spin:
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Futhermore, there are five different shapes for d (hence room for ten
electrons), and seven in the next sublevel, f...I hope you're noticing a
pattern here. (If you want to know more about where these numbers come from,
go ask Dr. Mahan about quantum numbers.)
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