second quantum number

The quantum number that specifies the orbital angular momentum of an electron in an atom, determines the shape of the orbital, and indicates the subshell in which the electron is located. Also called azimuthal quantum number.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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