Classical mechanics successfully describes macroscopic objects but fails for microscopic objects like atoms and molecules. Quantum mechanics was developed to account for these microscopic objects, which exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties. It describes that electrons can have distinct quantum states defined by quantum numbers like principal (n), azimuthal (l), magnetic (m), and spin (s). The values of these quantum numbers determine properties of atomic orbitals like shape, size, and energy.