Table of Contents
Shapes of Orbitals of an Atom
The shapes of orbitals of an atom are determined by the number of electrons in them and the distance between the nucleus and the electrons. The shapes of the orbitals are as follows:
1. s-orbital: The s-orbital is shaped like a sphere and has no angular momentum. It can hold a maximum of two electrons.
2. p-orbital: The p-orbital is shaped like a dumbbell and has some angular momentum. It can hold a maximum of six electrons.
3. d-orbital: The d-orbital is shaped like a four-pointed star and has more angular momentum than the p-orbital. It can hold a maximum of 10 electrons.
4. f-orbital: The f-orbital is shaped like a six-pointed star and has more angular momentum than the d-orbital. It can hold a maximum of 14 electrons.
Types of Orbitals and Their Shapes
There are five types of orbitals: s, p, d, f, and g.
s orbitals are spherical, p orbitals are dumbbell-shaped, d orbitals are four-sided, f orbitals are six-sided, and g orbitals are eight-sided.
The Shape of Orbitals
Orbitals are the regions around a nucleus in which an electron is likely to be found. The shape of an orbital is determined by the amount of electron density in the region. The three basic shapes of orbitals are s, p, and d.
