Question

Principal quantum number of an atom represents:

• A. Size of the orbital
• B. Spin angular momentum
• C. Orbital angular momentum
• D. Space orientation of the orbital

Answer 1

The correct option is A

Size of the orbital

The principal quantum number of an atom represents the size of the orbital. The principal quantum number is related to the size and energy of the main shell.
‘n’ has positive integer values of 1, 2, 3,...
As ‘n’ increases, the shells become larger and the electrons in those shells are farther from the nucleus.
An increase in ‘n’ also means higher energy. n = 1, 2, 3, ... are often represented by the letters K, L, M... For each ‘n’ value there is one main shell.