Atomic Orbitals: Spherical vs. Non-Spherical

[Garvit Goel]

atomic orbitals, what i just know about them is they are the regions around the nucleus where the probability of finding an electron is high and that is OK with s orbital because it is spherical.
but when an electron in p orbital spins the probability of finding an electron should spin accordingly and therefore p orbital should also spin because it is not spherical!
can you please suggest me something regarding this matter.

 

[John37309]

How about this; Try thinking of the electron as a wave instead of a dot sized particle that's moving. Think of the electron cloud kinda like a wavy blob of water. I find this helps me a lot. Its the old argument of wave-particle duality :)

John.

 

[Mr. Forte]

The orbital can best be described as a probability cloud; the electrons are more likely in one place than another.
According to the book; The Elements, by Theodore Gray, there are 4 types of orbitals.
The S orbital: The S orbital is completely symmetrical, the electrons are just as likely to be in one place as another.
The P orbital: The P orbital can be visualized as two balls, between them is the nucleus, the electrons are most likely to be in the two "balls" and less likely to be outside of them.
The D orbital: The D orbital looks like four lobes stemming out from the nucleus.
The F orbital: The F orbital is the same as the D orbital exept that it has six lobes instead of four.

 

[Garvit Goel]

The orbital can best be described as a probability cloud; the electrons are more likely in one place than another.
According to the book; The Elements, by Theodore Gray, there are 4 types of orbitals.
The S orbital: The S orbital is completely symmetrical, the electrons are just as likely to be in one place as another.
The P orbital: The P orbital can be visualized as two balls, between them is the nucleus, the electrons are most likely to be in the two "balls" and less likely to be outside of them.
The D orbital: The D orbital looks like four lobes stemming out from the nucleus.
The F orbital: The F orbital is the same as the D orbital exept that it has six lobes instead of four.

thanks Mr. Forte.
But what my problem is that the electrones spin around the nucleus. And when these electornes spin these probability clouds around the nucleus must also spin?

 

[SpectraCat]

thanks Mr. Forte.
But what my problem is that the electrones spin around the nucleus. And when these electornes spin these probability clouds around the nucleus must also spin?

1. Electrons do not spin around the nucleus.

2. Electrons have orbital angular momentum, which is similar to the angular momentum that would be associated with a particle in a classical orbit. Of course, this is not the correct physical picture, since electrons are quantum particles. Therefore, one of the quantum numbers associated with electrons in atoms (the l quantum number), specifies the orbital angular momentum of the state.

3. The projection of the orbital angular momentum on a axis of quantization (usually the z-axis by convention), is also a conserved quantity in single-electron atoms, and thus we associate a quantum number with it as well (m_l). The value of this quantum number tells us the spatial orientation of the orbital with respect to the axis of quantization.

4. Electrons have spin angular momentum, which is intrinsic angular momentum that we know they must possesses in order to account for their observed behavior (i.e. the Pauli exclusion principle). One of the quantum numbers for an electron in an atom (m_s), tell us the projection of that angular momentum on the axis of quantization (usually the z-axis).

The point that has the most relevance to your question (I think) is number 3. The values of l and m_l tell you the shape and orientation of the orbital with respect to the axis of quantization. In isotropic space, the choice of axis is arbitrary, but if there is an anisotropic potential present (e.g. a magnetic field in the labrotory fixed frame), then that becomes the most logical choice for the quantization axis. This provides the basis for the Zeeman splitting of the m_l levels by a magnetic field.