View source for Atomic and Molecular Quantum Numbers

== What are quantum numbers? ==

We know from quantum mechanics that observable quantities are quantized.  Each quantum number corresponds to an observable quantity or combination of quantities and describe the quantized states that characterize a system.  That is, they are the set of numerical values that give acceptable solutions to the Schrodinger equation for that system.  There is no single set of quantum numbers that completely describes every system; different types of systems are fully described by different quantum numbers.