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These designations have to do with the appearance of spectral emission lines, which were said to be "sharp, principal, diffuse and fundamental", before the nature of the electron transition that gave rise to them was properly understood.

The choice of letters s, p, d, f originates from a now-obsolete system of categorizing spectral lines as "sharp", "principal", "diffuse" and "fundamental" (or "fine").

[Cf. 'Related link' at left of this answer: Naming of s, p, d, f -orbitals].

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What do s p d f stands for in the electron distribution mnemonics?

The orbital names s, p, d, and fstand for names given to groups of lines in the spectra of the alkali metals. These line groups are called sharp, principal, diffuse, and fundamental.


What does spdf stand for in chemistry?

s: sharp p: principal d: diffuse f: fundamental Physicists who were studying the electromagentic spectrum tried to describe the emission lines as they corrolated with energy states involved. They described the emission lines as sharp, principal, diffuse, and fundamental.


Why are sub shells named spdf?

The letters s, p, d, and f correspond to the angular momentum quantum numbers in spectroscopy. The s subshell has a l=0, p has l=1, d has l=2, and f has l=3. These letters come from the sharp, principal, diffuse, and fundamental regions in spectroscopic lines.


What is a sharp metal piece called?

A sharp metal piece is typically called a "metal shard" or a "metal splinter."


What is s p d and f in electronic configuration?

S, P, D, and F are the letters assigned to the four different orbital shapes. An orbital is the area around the nucleus of an atom where you find electrons. Not all atoms have the four shapes though; the most basic elements (Hydrogen, with one electron for example) start with the S shape only, and add more shapes, as they become more complex, adding in order of S, P, D, and finally F. Each orbital has a limit to how many electrons it can hold: S can only hold 2 electrons, P holds 6, D holds 10, and F holds 14. The S orbital is spherical, P looks something like a peanut, and D like a doughnut. The F orbital is very complex, rarely used, and only found in elements with very high atomic numbers.

Related Questions

What do the sublevel designations s p d and f specify with the respect to the atoms orbitals?

shape


What is the Fullform of s-orbital p-orbital d-orbital and f-orbital?

The orbital names s, p, d, and fstand for names given to groups of lines in the spectra of the alkali metals. These line groups are called sharp, principal, diffuse, and fundamental.


What do s p d f stands for in the electron distribution mnemonics?

The orbital names s, p, d, and fstand for names given to groups of lines in the spectra of the alkali metals. These line groups are called sharp, principal, diffuse, and fundamental.


Does diffuse reflection produce a sharp image?

No, diffuse reflection scatters light in various directions, resulting in a blurred or soft image rather than a sharp one.


Why sharp peak and diffuse peak are observed in powder XRD?

Sharp peaks in powder XRD indicate well-ordered crystal structures with long-range periodicity. Diffuse peaks, on the other hand, suggest the presence of defects, disorders, or amorphous regions within the material. In powder XRD, the diffraction pattern results from a combination of many crystallites with different orientations, leading to a mixture of sharp and diffuse peaks.


What is the sharp end of the pencil called?

The sharp end of a pencil is called the "point."


Can an A flat be called a double sharp or flat or not?

an a flat only can be called an a flat There is no double sharp equivalent, but it is the same as G sharp.


What is a sharp turn called?

what is a line with many sharp turns


What does spdf stand for in chemistry?

s: sharp p: principal d: diffuse f: fundamental Physicists who were studying the electromagentic spectrum tried to describe the emission lines as they corrolated with energy states involved. They described the emission lines as sharp, principal, diffuse, and fundamental.


Why azimuthal quantum numbers spdf are called 'sharpprinciplediffusefundamental' respectively?

The letters s, p, d, and f in the azimuthal quantum numbers represent orbitals with specific shapes: s for sharp (spherical), p for principal (dumbbell-shaped), d for diffuse (complex shapes), and f for fundamental (even more complex shapes). These names come from early spectroscopic research that identified the distinct patterns formed by electron orbitals.


What is the last sharp called?

The last sharp in the circle of fifths is a B#.


Why are sub shells named spdf?

The letters s, p, d, and f correspond to the angular momentum quantum numbers in spectroscopy. The s subshell has a l=0, p has l=1, d has l=2, and f has l=3. These letters come from the sharp, principal, diffuse, and fundamental regions in spectroscopic lines.