Question

(c). The spin-orbit splitting also decreases as the orbital angular momentum of the electron increases, especially when considered for the same value of n: Configuration and Term Spin-orbit splitting [ )6p1, 2P,-| 554.04 cm" L.J6gG 0.0016 cm Why does the spin-orbital splitting decrease so markedly as & increases? [Again, remember that spin-orbit 42.87 cm splitting is a relativistic effect, which becomes larger as the speed of the electron approaches the speed of light.]

This is quantum chemistry. Please explain your answer.

Answer 1

Spin orbit splitting is the interaction of the spin orbital momentum of the electron with orbital angular momentum of the electron. The total momentum of a particle is maximum when the spin angular momentum and the orbital angular momentum are parallel to each other. That is the interaction of both will the maximum when they are parallel.

The orbital angular momentum, l of the particle gives the shape of the orbital in which the electron is present. Thus as the l value of the orbital increases the symmetry of the orbital is lost and the interaction of the spin orbital momentum with the orbital angular momentum will be the least. In other words as the angular momentum quantum number increases the spin orbit splitting gets decreased.