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ldv1452
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Why are S orbitals referred to as "non-directional"? Shouldn't their direction be referred to as "all directions"?
alxm said:Every direction is no direction.
It's not a common term though.
S orbitals are a type of atomic orbital that describes the probability of finding an electron at a certain distance from the nucleus of an atom. They have a spherical shape and are characterized by their "non-directional" properties, meaning they have equal probability of being found in any direction around the nucleus.
Each S orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons. These electrons have opposite spins, and occupy the orbital at different energy levels, with the lower energy level being filled first.
S orbitals have a spherical shape and are symmetrical, while P orbitals have a dumbbell shape and are asymmetrical. S orbitals also have a lower energy level compared to P orbitals.
S orbitals play a key role in chemical bonding by overlapping with other orbitals from different atoms. This allows for the sharing of electrons, resulting in the formation of covalent bonds between atoms.
No, S orbitals are limited to holding a maximum of 2 electrons due to the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons can have the same set of quantum numbers. This means that each electron must have a unique combination of energy level, orbital, and spin.