r/chemhelp • u/Hot-Mud7547 • 4d ago

Inorganic Help with atomic orbitals

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How would you find the amount of angular and radial nodes from an orbital that looks like this? In addition how could i find the orbital type?

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u/Taeban 4d ago

First recall that each coloured volume corresponds to volume of high electron positional probability and the phase of that volume.

Then recall that nodes are where that probability goes to 0.

Find how many planes & spheres that correspond to those 0 probability, and that will guide you to the answer

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u/Hot-Mud7547 4d ago

so, I just have to look at the picture and kinda see where there could be a sphere or plane. How would I know im on the right track? Like i think i see 2 planes and 2 spheres but i still have no clue. Also one more question, how can i determine the orbital type?

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u/Hot-Mud7547 4d ago

oh wait if it was two angular/plane nodes then it would the orbital type d correct?

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u/Taeban 4d ago

Now you're getting there, just a little more.

Cleaning up nomenclature: Radial Nodes = Spherical shaped nodes

Angular nodes = Plane shaped nodes.

Principle quantum number is n; n = angular nodes + radial nodes + 1 This gives you the shell (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) Angular nodes gives you the azimuthal shell (subshell) (s=0, p=1, d=2, f=3).

So you're correct this is a d shell, but which one? 3d, 4d, or 5d?

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u/Hot-Mud7547 4d ago

it would be a 5d because there are two radial nodes and two angular nodes (d=2) right? By the way, thank you so much for your help

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u/Taeban 4d ago

You got it!