orbital angular momentum
Quick Summary
Orbital angular momentum in physics refers to the angular momentum of an atomic electron due to its motion in an orbit around the nucleus. This property is quantized, meaning it can only take on specific discrete values, unlike in classical physics where it can be continuous.123
The magnitude of an electron's orbital angular momentum is described by the orbital quantum number, l, and is given by the formula (\sqrt{l(l+1)}\hbar), where (\hbar) is the reduced Planck constant. The possible values of l are integers, and for a given principal quantum number n, l must be less than n. This quantization is fundamental to understanding atomic structure and the behavior of electrons within atoms.34
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