L=4 subshell??

In periodic table, max. value n (principal quantum no) can take is 7,so l (azimuthal quantum no) can take 6 as its max value. Then why we talk about only s,p, d,f subshells (i.e. l=0,1,2,3)? What about l=4,5,6? Which are those subshells?

1 Answer
Mar 31, 2018

Because atoms thus far have not needed to use g, h, or i orbitals. Those are too high in energy and/or are too radially compact to be accessed for now.


l = 4,5,6 are the g, h, and i orbitals. They are hypothetically known, but practically, the h and i orbitals won't ever be needed.

We're already at the point where we'd have to synthesize our own heavy elements that are hardly stable...

A g orbital would be introduced as a 5g orbital, which has four angular nodes, and therefore is very radially compact and very high in energy compared to a 6f orbital.

Thus, it is very easy for electrons to get pushed out of those orbitals due to high-order electron correlation to populate the nearest f or d orbital instead.

  • There are 12 so-called "Aufbau exceptions" in the entire d-block: "Cr, Cu, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Pt, Au, Ds, Lr", which is within FOUR rows of elements. That's 30% of the d-block.

  • There are 10 so-called "Aufbau exceptions" in the entire f-block: "La, Ce, Gd, Lu, Ac, Th, Pa, U, Np, Cm" (except this is within TWO rows of elements). That's nearly 36% of the f-block.

  • You would likely find more "Aufbau exceptions" among such "g-block" elements than you did in the lanthanides and actinides. Perhaps about 42% of the g-block?

These are the 5g orbitals:

![https://upload.wikimedia.org/](useruploads.socratic.org)

whereas these are the 4f orbitals:

![https://upload.wikimedia.org/](useruploads.socratic.org)

An h orbital would be introduced as a 6h orbital, which again is impractical to discuss. Same with 7i orbitals.