Atomic Orbitals Flashcards
Define an orbital
An orbital is a region in space within which there is a high probability of finding an electron
What did Bohr use the term orbit to describe?
Bohr used the word orbit to describe the path of an electron travelling with a certain velocity at a precise distance from the nucleus
Who devised mathematical equations to work out the probability of finding an electron in any particular sublevel in an atom?
Erwin Schrodinger
What was Erwin Schrodinger’s contribution to science?
He devised mathematical equations to work out the probability of finding an electron in any particular sublevel in an atom
Give the four types of orbitals.
s, p, d, f
Describe the shape of all s orbitals.
They are all spherical
How do s orbitals differ from each other?
They only differ in size
Describe the probability of finding an electron in an s orbital.
The probability of finding an electron in a particular s sublevel is identical in all direction at a fixed radius from the nucleus
Describe the shape of p orbitals.
They are dumbbell shaped
How many parts are there in a p orbital?
Three parts
What are the three parts to a p orbital?
px, py, pz
Describe the energy levels of each part of a p orbital?
They all are of equal energy
In relation to p orbitals what do the letters x, y and z stand for?
They stand for the three main axes to represent direction
How many orbitals are there in the 2s sublevel?
One orbital
How many orbitals are there in the 2p sublevel?
Three p orbitals
