With the development of quantum mechanics and experimental findings (such as the two slit diffraction of electrons), it was found that the electrons orbiting a nucleus could not be fully described as particles, but … See more

Orbital notation and subshells
Orbitals have been given names, which are usually given in the form:
$${\displaystyle X\,\mathrm {type} \ }$$
where X is the … See more

The simplest atomic orbitals are those that are calculated for systems with a single electron, such as the hydrogen atom. An atom of any other element ionized down to a single electron is … See more

Simple pictures showing orbital shapes are intended to describe the angular forms of regions in space where the electrons occupying the orbital are likely to be found. The diagrams … See more

The term "orbital" was coined by Robert S. Mulliken in 1932 as short for one-electron orbital wave function. Niels Bohr explained around 1913 that … See more

Because of the quantum mechanical nature of the electrons around a nucleus, atomic orbitals can be uniquely defined by a set of integers … See more

In atoms with one electron (hydrogen-like atom), the energy of an orbital (and, consequently, any electron in the orbital) is determined mainly by $${\displaystyle n}$$. The $${\displaystyle n=1}$$ orbital has the lowest possible energy in the atom. Each … See more