CHEM 131A Study Guide - Wave Function, Atomic Orbital
Document Summary
Chemical principles: the quest for insight by atkins and jones. Boundary surfaces boundary surface: a visual representation of an orbital. It is the surface showing the region of space within which there is about a 90% probability of finding an electron when it occupies a specific orbital in an atom or molecules. These boundary surfaces are defined by radial wavefunctions. Radial wavefunction (r(r)): the radial part of a wavefunction, particularly the radial component of the wavefunctions of the hydrogen atom; the probability amplitude of an electron as a function of distance from the nucleus. There is only one s-orbital for every energy level. So if n = 3, then there 3 s-orbitals. x x x x x x. An 1s-orbital on a plane with x, y, and z axes: Notice how the 2s orbital is bigger than the 1s-orbital because it is at a higher energy level. The radial wavefunctions for the first three s-orbitals.
