| A | B |
|---|
| wavelength | the distance between identical points on successive waves (crest to crest for example) |
| frequency | the number of times per second a complete wavelength passes through a specific point |
| electromagnetic radiation | energy as light waves |
| speed of light | 3.00 x 10^8 m/s |
| Hertz | unit of frequency equal to 1/seconds |
| quantum | the smallest amount of light energy that may be absorbed or emitted |
| photon | the smallest increment (a quantum) of light energy |
| spectrum | the distribution of different wavelengths of light energy absorbed or emitted |
| ground state | the lowest-energy, or most stable state |
| excited state | a higher energy state than the ground state |
| orbitals | an allowed energy state of an electron in an atom |
| Pauli Exclusion Principle | no two electrons in an atom can have the same four quantum numbers |
| electron configuration | a particular arrangement of electrons in the orbitals of an atom |
| Hund's rule | electrons in the same energy sublevel of an atom will occupy separate orbitals if possible |
| core electrons | the electrons that are not in the outermost shell of the atom |
| valence electrons | the electrons that are in the outermost energy sublevel of an atom |
| transition metals | elements in which the d orbitals are partially occupied, found in the middle of the periodic table |
| lanthanide elements | elements in which the 4f orbitals are only partially occupied, found at the bottom of the periodic table |
| actinide elements | elements in which the 5f orbitals are only partially occupied, found at the bottom of the periodic table |
| Aufbau's principle | electrons fill energy sublevels in order of increasing energy |
