What are orbital energy levels?
Q: What are orbital energy levels?
A: Orbital energy levels are different states of potential energy for electrons in an atom, defined as the energy spectrum that can be quantized.
Q: Why can a quantum mechanical system only be in certain states?
A: A quantum mechanical system can only be in certain states because the energy levels are quantized, meaning only certain energy levels are possible.
Q: What are degenerate energy levels?
A: Degenerate energy levels are energy levels that are obtained by more than one quantum mechanical state.
Q: When is the potential energy set to zero?
A: The potential energy is usually set to zero at infinity.
Q: What is the most common use of the term energy level?
A: The most common use of the term energy level is in reference to the electron configuration in atoms or molecules.
Q: What determines the energy levels of atoms and molecules?
A: The most important factors that determine the energy levels of atoms and molecules are discussed in the following sections of the article.
Q: Are there cases where the energy spectrum is not quantized?
A: Yes, there are cases where the energy spectrum is not quantized, which is referred to as a continuous spectrum. However, in the context of orbital energy levels, the energy spectrum is quantized.
