Nodal Plane Clarification [ENDORSED]
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Nodal Plane Clarification
If you have an element like Nitrogen (1s2, 2s2, 2p3), where the p shell has a nodal plane, will there not be any electrons in the nodal plane, or just those confined to the p shell?
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Re: Nodal Plane Clarification
For the metioned orbitals, only p orbitals have a nodal plane. Px orbital has nodal plane along the y-z axis, Py orbital has nodal plane along the x-z axis and Pz orbital has nodal plane along the x-y axis. Electrons(p electrons) occupy px, py and pz orbitals and probability of finding an electron on the nodal planes is zero.
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Re: Nodal Plane Clarification [ENDORSED]
Hi Claire,
The formal definition of an electron orbit is a region of space with a nonzero probability density. Think of every point in space having the potential of housing an electron--each coordinate having a specific probability. While orbitals could be arguably infinite in size because the probability density tends towards zero as the distance from the nucleus increases, we draw orbitals in class as enclosed 3D solids because we only care about areas with statistically significant probabilities. Nodes are defined as regions with zero probability. We classify the node associated with p orbitals because, for each orbital, there is an infinite plane where there can be no electrons.
I hope this helps!
The formal definition of an electron orbit is a region of space with a nonzero probability density. Think of every point in space having the potential of housing an electron--each coordinate having a specific probability. While orbitals could be arguably infinite in size because the probability density tends towards zero as the distance from the nucleus increases, we draw orbitals in class as enclosed 3D solids because we only care about areas with statistically significant probabilities. Nodes are defined as regions with zero probability. We classify the node associated with p orbitals because, for each orbital, there is an infinite plane where there can be no electrons.
I hope this helps!
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