Page "Atomic orbital" Paragraph 2

Atomic orbitals are typically categorized by n, l, and m quantum numbers, which correspond to the electron's energy, angular momentum, and an angular momentum vector component, respectively.

Each orbital is defined by a different set of quantum numbers ( n, l, and m ), and contains a maximum of two electrons each with their own spin quantum number.

The simple names s orbital, p orbital, d orbital and f orbital refer to orbitals with angular momentum quantum number l = 0, 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

These names indicate the orbital shape and are used to describe the electron configurations.

They are derived from the characteristics of their spectroscopic lines: sharp, principal, diffuse, and fundamental, the rest being named in alphabetical order ( omitting j ).