Nodal Planes [ENDORSED]

[Fiona Grant 1I]

What exactly is the formal definition of a nodal plane? I understand what they are in the context of looking at an image of an orbital, but I would just like to know what their significance is.

[Natalie Noble 1G]

Its an area where the probability an electron will be found is zero, so it has zero electron density (since its a plane its a flat area with no electron density, whereas a node is a circular area with zero electron density)

[Neha Divi 1K]

I agree with the student above, additionally, the nodal plane is such a plane that does no intersect the associated orbital at any point, therefore, a low probability of finding an electron there.

[Brynne Keyser 1B]

A nodal plane is a plane in which the probability of finding a electron is zero. The 2s orbital has a nodal shell, whereas the 2pz orbital or 2p orbitals have a nodal plane.

Hope this helps!

[EllenRenskoff-1C]

How would the presence or absence of a nodal plane influence the electron configuration? Does that mean that the electrons are more evenly distributed in an orbital with nodal planes than in one without nodal planes?

[Noah Carey 1G]

How would the presence or absence of a nodal plane influence the electron configuration? Does that mean that the electrons are more evenly distributed in an orbital with nodal planes than in one without nodal planes?

The p-, d-, f- orbitals all have nodal planes and non-symmetric electron distribution. The s- orbitals has no nodal planes and symmetric electron distribution.

[Tarek Abushamma]

Nodal planes specify that there is 0 probability of finding an electron at that nodal plane, the don't really specify much about the way electrons are distributed in the areas that have a significant probability.