It is often convenient to depict orbitals in an orbital energy diagram, as seen below in . Such diagrams show the orbitals and their electron occupancies, as well as any orbital interactions that exist. In this case we have the orbitals of the hydrogen atom with electrons omitted. The first electron shell (n = 1) contains just the 1s orbital. The second shell (n = 2) holds a 2s orbital and three 2p orbitals. The third shell (n = 3) holds one 3s orbital, three 3p orbitals, and five 3d orbitals, and so forth. Note that the relative spacing between orbitals becomes smaller for larger n. In fact, as n gets large the spacing becomes infinitesimally small.
You will see such energy diagrams quite often in your continuing study of organic chemistry. Notice that all orbitals with the same n have the same energy. Orbitals with identical energies are said to be degenerate (not in the moral sense!). Electrons in higher level orbitals have more potential energy and are more reactive, i.e. more likely to undergo chemical reactions.