Are the orbitals circular or spherical or parabolic? Are they 3D?

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SUMMARY

Atomic and molecular orbitals exhibit distinct shapes based on angular momentum. "s" orbitals are spherical, while "p" orbitals have a lobular shape, resembling two opposing lobes. Unlike orbits, which are defined paths in space, orbitals represent probability distributions of quantum particles, indicating where an electron is likely to be found. This concept emphasizes the difference between classical and quantum mechanics in describing particle behavior.

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  • Understanding of atomic and molecular orbitals
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  • Basic grasp of probability distributions in quantum systems
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Are the orbitals circular or spherical or parabolic?? Are they 3D?

Are the orbitals circular or spherical or parabolic?? Are they 3D?
 
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I assume you mean atomic and/or molecular orbitals?

Different orbitals have different shapes, depending mainly on the angular momentum. For atomic orbitals, "s" orbitals are spherical, while "p" orbitals are shaped as two opposing lobes. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_orbital#Orbitals_table for some images.

It's important to note the difference between orbital and orbit. The latter is a path in space, such as a planet follows around its star. Its position is well-defined at each instance of time. By contrast, quantum particles do not have such well-defined positions. The (squared) magnitude of the orbital gives probabilities for finding the particle at a particular location. If you like, you can imagine the electron in an orbital "smeared out" over the orbital, like a cloud.
 

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