[lateralus01]

OK so I'm getting the quantum numbers pretty much down.

So am I right here?

If we start by looking at hydrogen with one electron it would be in the 1s1 position.
The S orbital is a sphere so that electron would be orbiting around the nucleus somewhere in that sphere?

Helium - 1s2

This means now that there are two electrons orbiting somewhere in that sphere?

Lithium 1s2,2s1

OK well the higher the energy level (indicated by n which would be the coefficient before the orbital letter  --- right?) the further the electron would be from the nucleus so would that mean that the first two electrons in lithium have the same radius from the nucleus but the third (the 2s1 electron just to clarify) would have a larger radius?

now skip ahead to Boron with 5 electrons and the configuration 1s2,2s2,1p1

this would mean that:
-the first two orbit in the sphere around the nucleus with the same radius
-the next two also orbit in that sphere but with a radius larger that the first but identical to eachother
-the last is moving somewhere in an elliptical orbit?

-and this would continue so the next would have an identical elliptical orbit(just always in a different place)


So where am I right and where am I wrong?

[Alpha-Omega]

OK 1 at a time:

Helium - 1s2

This means now that there are two electrons orbiting somewhere in that sphere?

Lithium 1s2,2s1

YES

OK well the higher the energy level (indicated by n which would be the coefficient before the orbital letter  --- right?) the further the electron would be from the nucleus so would that mean that the first two electrons in lithium have the same radius from the nucleus but the third (the 2s1 electron just to clarify) would have a larger radius?

For your purposes -YES

now skip ahead to Boron with 5 electrons and the configuration 1s2,2s2,1p1

NO THERE IS NO 1p  P begins with 2 2P lowest energy for P....

So 1s2 2s2 2p1

this would mean that:
-the first two orbit in the sphere around the nucleus with the same radius
YES

-the next two also orbit in that sphere but with a radius larger that the first but identical to eachother

IDENTICAL IN THAT THEY ARE SPHERICAL....YES


-the last is moving somewhere in an elliptical orbit?

It is in one of the DUMBELL Shaped orbital of a P shell-Usually referred to a DUMBELL SHAPED...


-and this would continue so the next would have an identical elliptical orbit(just always in a different place)

FOR YOUR PURPOSES-YES

So where am I right and where am I wrong?

you need to comit the energy levels to memory....that your only mistake:

look back at other answer...and look at list of energies and orbital types..1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p 5s 4d...

OK here is a link that is interactive:  http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/applets/a2.html

[Alpha-Omega]

This one is good too...not so much animation-scroll to the bottom:

http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/periodic/index.shtml