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].
649
questions
3
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Degeneracy of orbitals?
Why is that in an external magnetic field(uniform) the degeneracy of d,f orbitals is lost but the degeneracy of p orbitals remain intact if the main cause of losing degeneracy is the difference in ...
- 6,795
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Bonding and Antibonding
So I understand, electrons exist in orbitals, mainly s, p, d, f and that when they bond with one another it will form sigma and pi bonds and that whether it bonds in a certain orientation a molecular ...
- 144
11
votes
5
answers
17k
views
What is meant by "no d-orbital"?
Sulfur and oxygen belong to the same group. Sulfur has a vacant d-orbital while oxygen has no vacant d-orbital.
What does having "no d-orbital" mean? Orbitals are just the spaces around the atom. ...
- 1,037
7
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Can there exist any element with an 8th principal shell?
I am a high school student. While studying the atomic structure a question appeared to me. We know that an atom can have the highest limit of 7 Bohr energy shells or principal energy shells, ...
- 183
4
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Energies of atomic orbitals on molecular orbital diagrams
When we plot molecular orbital diagrams we use a linear combination of atomic orbitals.
Where can I find the energies of particular atomic orbitals?
In the picture below, the energies of 2s and 2p ...
- 681
9
votes
2
answers
399
views
Why does oxygen not like to be a double anion?
The electron affinity of a neutral oxygen atom is −142 kJ (it releases this energy). The electron affinity for the now double anion $\ce{O^2-}$ is 710 kJ (work must be done on the atom).
My question ...
- 489
6
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Bonding and anti-bonding orbitals in the light of time-dependent Schrödinger equation?
In organic chemistry, people draw 2p orbitals like this:
and then they explain how the orbitals combine to non-bonding (π*) or bonding (π) molecular orbitals, like this:
depending on whether the ...
- 211
10
votes
3
answers
17k
views
Why can an s orbital only hold two electrons?
According to Pauli’s exclusion principle, an $s$ orbital contains at most two electrons with the opposite spin (up and down). Why can't an $s$ orbital contain a third electron whose state is the ...
user864
4
votes
1
answer
1k
views
In sp² hybrid orbital, why does the p orbitals only have 3 sides instead of 4?
Usually two separate p orbitals would have '4 lobes' while in a $\ce{sp^2}$ hybrid those 2 p orbitals would only have '3 lobes'. why?
I'm referring to diagrams such as the one shown below:
user781
4
votes
2
answers
469
views
In orbital hybridisation, what determines the number of orbitals that hybridise to be at the same energy level?
For example, in phosphorus pentachloride five orbitals hybridize, but why not 6, as in the hydrated Al ion? I have read that the reason six orbitals hybridize is that a maximum of six oxygens can ...
- 909
22
votes
2
answers
7k
views
Why are atoms with eight electrons in the outer shell extremely stable?
Atoms that have eight electrons in their outer shell are extremely stable. It can't be because both the $s$ and the $p$ orbitals are full, because then an atom with 13 or 18 valence electrons would be ...
- 1,381
7
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Which of the following possesses the highest energy electron?
Which of the following possesses the highest energy electron?
$\ce{Br-}$
$\ce{Ca^2+}$
$\ce{Cr+}$
$\ce{As}$
Don't bromine and arsenic have equally high energy electrons (i.e. in ...
- 71
16
votes
4
answers
544
views
Hierarchy of electronic wavefunctions
The previous question contained too much unnecessary information and was edited.
I am wondering about the "hierarchy" of wavefunctions. If one can combine atomic orbitals (AO) into molecular orbitals ...
- 2,638
12
votes
3
answers
923
views
Are there any molecules with delta bonds in their ground states?
When looking at excited states of molecules, $\delta$ bonds are relatively common, but I've never come across a molecule with a $\delta$ bond in its ground state.
Are there molecules with $\delta$ ...
- 1,552
24
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Symmetry lost in orbitals?
I've always thought that orbitals lead to a loss of symmetry, and have never been able to give myself a satisfactory answer to this.
I'll explain via an example:
Let's take an $\ce{N^3+}$ atom. It's ...
- 15.2k
99
votes
7
answers
139k
views
Why is the 2s orbital lower in energy than the 2p orbital when the electrons in 2s are usually farther from the nucleus?
My chemistry book explains that even though electrons in the $\mathrm{2p}$ orbital are closer to the nucleus on average, electrons from the $\mathrm{2s}$ orbital spend a very short time very close to ...
- 1,827
72
votes
4
answers
34k
views
Why do elements in columns 6 and 11 assume 'abnormal' electron configurations?
When I look around for why copper and chromium only have one electron in their outermost s orbital and 5/10 in their outermost d orbital, I'm bombarded with the fact that they are more stable with a ...
- 1,827
31
votes
5
answers
8k
views
How do orbitals coexist with a nucleus?
Many diagrams of orbitals I've seen involve electrons moving through a center point—where the nucleus is. How can this be? Clearly they don't actually pass through the nucleus, so what does happen?
- 827
61
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Striking examples where Kohn-Sham orbitals clearly have no physical meaning
In Density Functional Theory courses, one is often reminded that Kohn-Sham orbitals are often said to bear no any physical meaning. They only represent a noninteracting reference system which has the ...
- 23.8k