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].
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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 ...
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I am trying to picture how electrons move around in atomic orbitals
Are they thought to continuously pop in and out of existence at various points inside the orbital defined by probabilities or do they follow definite paths that are made fuzzy by the Heisenberg ...
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2p Orbital Occupancy
What does the question mean by how many electron pairs are in 2p orbitals? How does one tell? Given that both the oxygen and the nitrogen are $\ce{sp^2}$ hybridized, wouldn't there be two 2p orbitals?
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Reduce sizing of molecule - Oxygen
Can the size of molecule oxygen reduce smaller? If yes, how is that possible? Is it related to proton and electron surrounding the nucleus?
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Meaning of depiction of atomic orbitals
There was a section about atomic orbitals in my organic chemistry textbook that I did not quite understand. First the author explained a bit about the Schrödinger equation, which I understood to be (...
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Fourth principle of Molecular Orbitals
The fourth principle of Molecular Orbitals state that:
Molecular orbitals are best formed when composed of Atomic orbitals of like energies.
I'm not sure about ...
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Natural Bond Orbital analysis: Significance of stabilization energy determined by 2nd order perturbation
PREFACE: I am no expert on this topic. My questions at the bottom may be off base. I have some experience with symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) when it comes to analyzing intermolecular ...
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Why is the 8-electron rule more important than the 2- or 18-electron rule
Why is the fulfilled electronic configuration of only $p$ orbital is stable. I mean why $II-B $ group with fulfilled $d$ orbital,$II-A$ group with fulfilled $s$ orbital...are not stable. Why makes $p$...
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Spectrochemical Series - Sigma Donor Capability
I fully understand and recognise the manner and which the series works.
I cannot find any references for the change in sigma donor capability moving up the series.
For example, comparing $\ce{Cl-}$ ...
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Correlation between Coulomb's law and VSEPR theory
I've always been told in chemistry lessons that lone pairs repel more due to a greater charge density than bonding pairs. And that makes sense when steric effects are involved when bond orbitals ...
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Why only two atoms share an electron and not three?
In a covalent bond between two atoms, an electron from one of the either atom is shared by overlapping of their orbitals.
So,
Why can't three atoms share an electron and overlap their orbitals?
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Reason for the stronger acidic property of phenol than alcohol
In phenol, pulling the $\mathrm{p}_z$ electrons from the oxygen atom into the ring causes the hydrogen atom to be more partially positive than it is in aliphatic alcohols. This means it is much more ...
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What is the inert pair effect?
I was reading about the p-block elements and found that the inert pair effect is mentioned everywhere in this topic. However, the book does not explain it very well. So, what is the inert pair effect? ...
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What are angular and radial nodes?
Nodes are the points in space around a nucleus where the probability of finding an electron is zero. However, I heard that there are two kinds of nodes, radial nodes and angular nodes. What are they ...
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What is hyperconjugation?
What is hyperconjugation and how do you know if there is hyperconjugation in a compound? Which orbitals are involved in hyperconjugation?
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Where does the 9th electron go in a N=O bond?
In the first resonating structure you can see 5 unpaired electrons and 4 shared electrons on nitrogen, then isn't this a extended octet? If it is so, then in which orbital that 9th electron is ...
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Splitting of $d$ orbitals when ligands approach central metal ion
In my high school chemistry book, it is written that when ligands approach the central metal ion (transition metal ion) to form dative bonds, the $3d$ orbitals split into two: two which are in higher ...
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How do I calculate the change in energy of an electron transition?
What are the $\Delta E$'s of the transitions of an electron from $n=5$ to $n=1$ and from $n=5$ to $n=2$ in a Bohr hydrogen atom? The wavelength of the first electron transition is $\lambda_1=409~\...
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Is there an easy way to find number of valence electrons"
I want an high-school level answer. What I mean with "valence electrons" is the outermost electrons in that atoms' electronic arrangement? For example, 3 in an atom with an electronic arrangement of 2,...
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Resonance stability: ester vs. thioester
My problem set solution cites:
"Although sulfur is less electronegative than oxygen, overlap is a
more important consideration. Sulfur is a member of the third period.
As a consequence, a ...
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Have there been no advances in the determination of effective nuclear charges since Clementi and Raimondi in the 60s?
Effective nuclear charge is a very important concept in chemistry, and is the basis for the qualitative explanation of many observed chemical and physical properties, including several periodic trends....
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Are orbitals always filled in from closest to nucleus to farthest away?
In which orbital, 4f or 6s, would an electron have a greater likelihood of being near the nucleus.
I figured that the 6s would be closest, since it is filled in first when using the Aufbau principle.
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How do 1s and 2p orbitals overlap?
In the following figure
we can see that the p-orbitals overlap 1s orbital (though relatively very little). How can an electron in p-orbital, be simultaneously in the 1s orbital at any given point ...
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LCAO (Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals) and Phases
So when combining atomic orbitals to form molecular orbitals, you can either add the wave functions or subtract them. But at the same time, orbitals can exist in opposite phases (say one lobe of the p ...
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Finding the number of orbitals on a central atom
In $\ce{BeCl2}$ the number of orbitals on central atom, i.e. on beryllium, are 2. In $\ce{BF3}$, the number of orbitals on central atom , i.e. on boron, are 3.
Similarly in $\ce{NH3}$ there are 4, ...
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References to draw 3D molecules with directionality of non-bonding electron pairs and p-orbitals
My instructor has been drawing 3D molecules that show the directionality of non-bonding electron pairs and p-orbitals. I've been trying to find references online that show this process, but I'm having ...
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Hybridisation of the negatively charged carbon atom in a carbanion
Given the carbanion, $\ce{R3C-}$, the carbon is $\mathrm{sp^3}$ hybridized, unless it is participating in resonance. This is clear from its steric number.
However, I am having trouble in drawing its ...
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Sulfur trioxide - vacant d-orbitals
Sulfur trioxide violates the octet rule. Upon drawing the Lewis dot structure for sulfur trioxide, we see that the central sulfur atom is bonded to three other oxygen atoms by double covalent bonds. ...
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Why apart from when building atoms in the first place, the 3d is the lower energy orbital?
From chemguide.co.uk:
If the phosphorus is going to form $\ce{PCl5}$ it has first to generate 5 unpaired electrons. It does this by promoting one of the electrons in the $\mathrm{3s}$ orbital to ...
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Is there any difference between a completely filled orbital and an half-filled one?
Is there any reduction in size of the orbital for a half-filled orbital? Is the probability at any point of finding an electron doubled if there are two electrons instead of one? Is there any ...
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