Question

State the difference between a shell and a subshell?

Answer 1

Difference between Shell and Subshell

Shell	Subshell
A shell is a direction that electrons take through the nucleus of an atom.	A subshell is the field of a shell where electrons pass.
The principal quantum number determines the cumulative number of electrons that can be accommodated in a shell (n).	The azimuthal quantum number denoted by '$\mathrm{l}$' determines the subshells into which electrons are distributed.
The shell number is expressed by the term $2{\mathrm{n}}^2$, where n is the number of shells.	The formula $2(2\mathrm{l}+1)$ gives the maximum number of electrons that can be accommodated by a subshell.
The total number of electrons that can be accommodated in K, L, M, and N shells are 2, 8, 18, and 32 respectively.	The s, p, d and f subshells each have a combined capacity of 2, 6,10 and 14 electrons.

Therefore, the basic difference between a shell and a subshell is one gives the direction of electrons and another gives the field where electrons pass.