Discreteness of Electron Orbits: Elliptical Shapes?

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SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies that electron orbits exhibit discrete orientations, meaning they can only align in specific directions rather than any arbitrary angle. In classical mechanics, this discreteness refers to the fixed planes of orbits, while in quantum mechanics, electron behavior is not defined by precise paths like circles or ellipses. Instead, the focus is on the constraints of the angular momentum vector, which has specific magnitudes and directions.

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  • Understanding of classical mechanics and orbital dynamics
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  • Basic concepts of electron behavior in atomic structures
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  • Explore the concept of angular momentum in quantum mechanics
  • Study the differences between classical and quantum orbits
  • Investigate the implications of discrete orientations in electron orbitals
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We know that orientations of electron orbit are discrete , what exactly do you mean by discreteness ,& also is there any particular shape of orbits like an ellipse ?
 
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For a classical orbit, "discreteness" means that the plane of the orbit can only be oriented in certain directions but not in others. For a quantum-mechanical orbital, the electron doesn't move in a definite path like a satellite going around the Earth (so you can't talk about circles and ellipses), but you can still talk about the angular momentum vector being constrained to certain magnitudes and directions.
 

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