Questions tagged [orbitals]
An orbital is a one-electron wavefunction, usually derived by solving the Schrodinger equation. This tag applies to questions about all forms of orbitals; additionally, questions about the construction and properties of molecular orbitals should be tagged with [molecular-orbital-theory].
652
questions
5
votes
1
answer
980
views
Show the vibrational frequency of fluorine molecule anion is much lower than that of fluorine molecule
Basically I need to draw the molecular orbital for $\ce{F2}$ and then answer a bunch of questions about it. I have drawn it correctly, as far as I know, but I don't know how to use it to show that the ...
- 1,043
30
votes
2
answers
42k
views
Why do atoms "want" to have a full outer shell?
Okay, so I know that this is about filling the orbitals of the atom, and I understand that. What I don't understand is why? For example, an Oxygen atom has 8 protons and 8 electrons spinning around it....
- 411
9
votes
2
answers
12k
views
Periodic trend in difference of energy between the s and p orbitals
Why does the difference of energy between the 2s and 2p orbitals of the second period elements increase with increasing atomic number? Does this difference increases by moving down a group, e.g. is ...
- 14.4k
17
votes
1
answer
25k
views
How can I find the symmetry labels of atomic orbitals in a molecule?
What are the symmetry labels for the p and d orbitals of platinum in $\ce{[PtCl4]^2-}$?
I understand how to find the point group of a molecule, but am not sure how to use the character table to find ...
- 944
3
votes
1
answer
604
views
Unequal ionization energies of methane
Why does methane have two different ionization potentials? How does this work? I understand that MO theory predicts C-H bonds of differing strength, while hybridization predicts C-H bonds of varying ...
- 19k
20
votes
5
answers
13k
views
Evidence of orbitals?
How do we know that there are different types of orbitals? For example, what evidence is there for the existence of $\mathrm{p}$ orbitals instead of there being multiple $\mathrm{s}$ orbitals (for ...
- 209
7
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Why do higher orbitals have more energy?
I have seen in textbooks and videos that an electron must absorb energy (become excited) to enter a farther-away orbital.
The amount of energy that must be gained is equal to the difference in energy ...
- 73
4
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Whats the difference between ionization energy and orbital energy?
If you look at the trend in orbital energies as you go across a period the pattern is clear (orbital energy decreases with increasing effective nuclear charge) and, to my knowledge, it has no ...
- 9,802
5
votes
1
answer
715
views
How do electrons travel through nodes
I understand this is a basic question, but I'm having such a hard time wrapping my head around it. I'm trying to avoid thinking about it as an actual "particle" but as a wave, but that confuses me too....
- 59
3
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Triple Bond Character in Acyl Chlorides
I am told that because of the poor overlap between a chlorine atom and a carbon atom and chlorine's relatively high electronegativity, there is a strong partial positive character on the central ...
- 19k
11
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Do electrons only fill 'spin up' first? Or could it start filling 'down spins' first? [duplicate]
Due to Hund's rule, electrons start filling up the orbitals without pairing up. When this is happening, do the electrons all fill up the 'up' spin? Could they fill in the 'down' spin? Why do they ...
2
votes
2
answers
302
views
Resonance stabilization and size of ligand atoms
I am told that for these two molecules, one of them is not as resonance stabilized as the other. Apparently it's the chlorine one, and it's because of the mismatch in the size of chlorine and carbon. ...
- 19k
19
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Why is one lobe of an sp3 hybridized orbital smaller than its other half?
A hybrid sp3 orbital is drawn with one lobe smaller than its other half, the latter which is of equal size when drawing the p orbital. Why is it so?
- 1,513
7
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Which d orbitals of sulfur take part in the pi bonds of SO3?
In $\ce{SO3}$, 2 $p\pi-d\pi$ bonds are present. But which $d$ orbitals of
sulfur take part in these $\pi$ bonds?
The answer says $d_{xy}$ and $d_{yz}$. Someone also told me that crystal field ...
user2619
1
vote
1
answer
267
views
What are the Waves Modeling when Referring to the Atomic Orbitals
It is taught that the orbital shapes derive from wave functions with different numbers of nodes. For example, the "s" orbital comes from a wave that has one node. But what are the waves modeling? A ...
- 349
98
votes
2
answers
38k
views
What is Bent's rule?
I'm all bent out of shape trying to figure out what Bent's rule means. I have several formulations of it, and the most common formulation is also the hardest to understand.
Atomic s character ...
- 19k
9
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Can electrons switch orbitals within a shell?
I know that electrons can move from say 2s orbital to an unoccupied 2p orbital, as in Carbon atom which can form 4 bonds this way. But I want to know is it possible for an electron say in orbital 2p ...
- 269
1
vote
2
answers
814
views
Ammonia and hydroxide ion - Lewis basicity
Which is the stronger Lewis base, and why?
I'm thinking that the answer is "it depends." With regard to the hydrogen proton, which hydroxide ion is obviously the stronger Lewis base. However, with ...
- 19k
5
votes
2
answers
8k
views
Difference between actual position of electron and Radial Distribution Probability
Its known that the radius of maximum probability of 2s orbitals is more than that of 2p orbitals. It means that the maximum probability of finding an electron in an 2s is further away from electron ...
- 749
3
votes
1
answer
15k
views
Is BF3 an electrophile?
Boron has an empty $2p$ orbital.
But is it an electroplhile?
I know it is a Lewis acid.
- 1,303
0
votes
1
answer
194
views
Subtle implications of quantum numbers
Question:
Given the subshells $\ce{1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p}$ and $\ce{3d}$, identify those
that meet the following descriptions:
a) has $l=2$
b) Can contain two electrons with spin $m_{s}=\pm\...
- 1,203
6
votes
1
answer
210
views
Electronic model with highest prediction rate
Amongst many models, including the valence bond model (VB) or the molecular orbital (MO) model, which are the ones with best predictive power? (e.g. the MO is thought to predict spectroscopic ...
- 201
34
votes
1
answer
10k
views
When is it true that more nodes equals higher energy?
Consider all the MOs of some isolated molecule. (It could be a single
atom too; I'll use MO to refer to AOs as well.) Number them in
increasing order of the number of nodes (node = surface where the ...
- 2,757
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Counting Nodal Planes in cyclopropane
The energy of molecule orbitals increases with more nodal planes. W1 (in the attached picture) has no nodal plane. I'd like to know how to draw the nodal planes in cyclopropane molecule orbitals but ...
- 3,405
24
votes
3
answers
50k
views
What is the origin of the differences between the MO schemes of O₂ and N₂?
Here are the MO schemes of $\ce{N2}$ (left) and $\ce{O2}$ (right).
Why is the $\sigma$-MO formed by the $p$ AOs energetically above the $\pi$-MO for $\ce{N2}$ but not for $\ce{O2}$?
Can it be ...
- 14.4k
7
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Why do atomic orbitals have their unique shapes?
Is there a scientific explanation to why p orbitals are shaped like two balloons, etc. I think it has got to do with electron repulsions. Wikipedia says they are 'characterised by unique values of ...
- 453
2
votes
2
answers
341
views
Determining covalent bond strengths without hybridisation
Assuming pure $\ce{2s}$ and $\ce{2p}$ orbitals of carbon are used in forming $\ce{CH4}$ molecule, which of the following statements is false? (single choice question)
Three $\ce{C-H}$ bonds ...
- 29
2
votes
0
answers
553
views
Effects of orbital overlap and electronegativity on polarity of binary halogen acids
I have discerned these factors affecting orbital overlap:
Symmetry
Type of orbital
Nodes along the internuclear axis
$n$ quantum number of the atomic orbitals - the number of shells of electrons
Size ...
- 19k
1
vote
1
answer
3k
views
Rationalizing Strength of Binary Halogen Acids with MO Theory
Help me walk through the logic here:
1) HF is a weaker acid than HCl.
2) This is as far as I can understand. How does sigma star affect the acidities of the binary halogen acids?
If a covalent ...
- 19k
4
votes
4
answers
7k
views
What are similarities and differences among shells, orbitals, subshells, and energy levels?
I think I know what these terms mean:
each row on the periodic table has a new shell of electrons,
a subshell is e.g. 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, etc.,
and energy levels are the same as shells,
whilst ...
user5110