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hokhani
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In the attached figure, what is the physical meaning of signs + and - in opposite lobes of p orbitals?
Thank you. Do you mean that it is due to the radial part of wave function? If so, how to realize between px and py?daveyrocket said:Those indicate the phase of the p orbitals. Recall that p orbitals have a node, so that, e.g. for the left one the function is positive to the right of the y-axis and negative to the left of the y axis.
P orbitals are one of the three types of orbitals in an atom, along with s and d orbitals. They are shaped like dumbbells and have three possible orientations in space. P orbitals can hold a maximum of six electrons.
The + and - signs in P orbitals represent the two lobes of the orbital. The + sign represents the positive phase of the wave function, while the - sign represents the negative phase. These signs indicate the probability of finding an electron in a specific region of space within the orbital.
P orbitals have a different shape and orientation compared to S orbitals. While S orbitals are spherical and have only one orientation, P orbitals are dumbbell-shaped and have three possible orientations. Additionally, S orbitals can hold a maximum of two electrons, while P orbitals can hold up to six electrons.
The lobes in P orbitals represent the regions of space where there is a high probability of finding an electron. The lobes are separated by a node, which is a region with zero probability of finding an electron. The number and arrangement of lobes in P orbitals determine the shape and orientation of the orbital.
The lobes in P orbitals are labeled as Px, Py, and Pz, corresponding to the three possible orientations in space. Px has two lobes along the x-axis, Py has two lobes along the y-axis, and Pz has two lobes along the z-axis. The + and - signs in each lobe indicate the positive and negative phases of the wave function.