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Chemistry LibreTexts

4: Atomic Orbitals

  • Page ID
    60546
    • Jack Simons and Jeff Nichols
    • University of Utah and Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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    Valence atomic orbitals on neighboring atoms combine to form bonding, non-bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals. In Section 1 the Schrödinger equation for the motion of a single electron moving about a nucleus of charge Z was explicitly solved. The energies of these orbitals relative to an electron infinitely far from the nucleus with zero kinetic energy were found to depend strongly on Z and on the principal quantum number n, as were the radial "sizes" of these hydrogenic orbitals. Closed analytical expressions for the \(r\),\(θ\), and \(ϕ\) dependence of these orbitals are given in Appendix B. The reader is advised to also review this material before undertaking study of this section.

    • 4.1: Shapes of Atomic Orbitals
      This page discusses the importance of atomic orbital shapes (s, p, d, f) in determining bonding capabilities. It highlights that even unoccupied orbitals can accept electron density and provides an example of the hydrogen atom and its ion. The page also explains how external electronic fields can induce charge density polarization, resulting in hybrid orbital formation. Understanding these concepts is crucial for comprehending atomic behavior.
    • 4.2: Directions of Atomic Orbitals
      This page explores atomic orbitals' directional characteristics and their impact on bonding. It details the specific orientations of s, p, and d orbitals, highlighting the degeneracy formula (2l+1) for spatial orientations. The text also discusses how orbital combinations can form new orbitals without defined spatial direction, yet preserving angular momentum, thereby not affecting energy levels. Examples demonstrate the connection between orbital orientation and angular momentum eigenfunctions.
    • 4.3: Sizes and Energies
      This page explains the influence of the principal quantum number and electrostatic potential on the size and energy of atomic orbitals. It details how atomic orbitals are derived from the one-electron Schrödinger equation, exhibit spherical symmetry, and have degenerate energy levels.


    This page titled 4: Atomic Orbitals is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jack Simons and Jeff Nichols via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.