x,y,z plane

[Funmi Baruwa]

why are there different planes for orbitals? what is the purpose of the planes? Is it because on one side of the plane, and orbital is positive, but on the other it is negative? Because I though electrons always have negative charges, so I am confused about what the x,y,z planes are for.

[Kyle Walsh 2J]

Hi! The x,y,z planes are only used in the context of modelling an orbital in a 3d space. They are purely conceptual, because we don't know the true form of an electron or orbital, so we make 3d models out of their respective wave functions. Whether a part of the "orbital" modelled is in the negative of the x or y plane has no bearing on the charge. Planes are also sometimes indicators of nodal planes, which you can think of like asymptotes on a 2d function, where the electron density is zero. Hope this helps!

[Funmi Baruwa]

that helped so much, thank you!!