Key Concepts: Suborbital Shapes

Core Definitions

• s Orbital Shape: Spherical; exists in every energy level.
• p Orbital Shape: Dumbbell (figure-eight); 3 orientations along x, y, z axes.
• d Orbital Shape: Clover-leaf (most) and donut-dumbbell; 5 orientations.
• f Orbital Shape: Complex multi-lobed shapes; 7 orientations.
• Orbital Size: Orbitals of the same type get larger at higher energy levels (e.g., 3s > 2s > 1s).
• Node: A region where the probability of finding an electron is zero.