Final answer:
An electron orbital describes the spaces or regions where electrons move within each energy level of an atom. It does not describe the path or trajectory of an electron. Energy levels correspond to the permitted electron orbits around the nucleus, each with a specific energy value.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term electron orbital describes the spaces or regions where electrons move within each energy level of an atom. An orbital defines the space in which an electron is most likely to be found. It is important to note that an electron orbital does not describe the path or trajectory of an electron.
Each permitted electron orbit has a certain energy value, which can be thought of as an energy level. Moving from one orbit to another requires a change in the electron's energy, determined by the difference between the energy values of the two orbits. Different energy levels have fixed and definite energy changes associated with them.
For example, in the Bohr model of the atom, electrons exist in discrete orbits with discrete energies. The ground state of an atom is when the electron is in the orbit closest to the nucleus, and higher energy levels correspond to orbits further from the nucleus.