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Exploring Atomic Orbitals across the Periodic Table
The SAM Atomic Orbital and Periodic Table Explorer
The electrons of an atom do not move in orbits. Instead, they can be located in areas around the nucleus called orbitals - oddly shaped regions where they can probably be found.aolume ofa volume of space in which the electron can most likely be locate spacethe electron can most likely be located
The picture above represents several the different shapes of orbital areas for electrons of the boron atom.
Each orbital can be thought of as a state of a particular electron. If an atom absorbs a specific amount of energy, its electrons can jump to an orbital in a new, higher energy level. Electrons can also jump from one orbital to another and from one atom to another.
The "orbital" and "energy level" of an atom do not mean the same thing, though they are related. "Energy level" refers to the amount of energy associated with each level in an atom, but each energy level can have several different orbitals in it. All atoms have at least one energy level, each containing one or more orbitals, the spaces where an electron may be found.
What do orbitals look like and how do the electrons relate to one another? Much of this tricky territory scientists are still investigating. By the beginning of the 20th century, scientists knew that the energy levels and the orbitals of the electrons of the other atoms were similar to those of the hydrogen atom. They found out that orbitals have different distances from the nucleus. They also discovered that each orbital shape or type can hold only a specific number of electrons. When that number is reached, any additional electrons must jump into a higher orbital with a higher energy level.
Scientists gave the orbitals names - just letters: s, p, d, and f. The lowest orbital for any energy level is called the s orbital. The s orbital always has a spherical shape. A second type of orbital is called a p orbital. Boron, with five protons and five electrons has both s and p orbitals and two energy levels.
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An orbital is:
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characteristic of all atoms
the highest energy state of an electron
an area in which an electron may be found.
the glue that holds the nucleus together.
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