🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <718623068.5@mailbox.bison.mb> Jason.Goga@mailbox.bison.mb.ca (Jason Goga) writes:
>I was in chem class the other day (as usual) and we were discussing the various
>shapes of orbitals at the various energy levels of electrons. Now we discussed 
>S, P, D, and F. However no 3d picture of an 'F' orbital was given. I was wonder
>ing if such a plot exists and if so can I get a copy.
>
>ALSO, the S orbital is symetrical, so is the P. However in 3dx2 there is this '
>dougnut' shaped orbital, whereas it's counterparts are ovalish. Why is this?
>
>-Jason

I don't have the specific answer to the shape of the "d" orbitals, but I can 
tell you that it has something to do with Scroedinger's Equation (the oe is
really an "o" with an umlaut over the top) and the square of the wave function
which is included four times within the equation. The value represented by the
square of the wave function is related to the probability of finding an electron
in some certain region in space around the nucleus of the atom (actually the
electron density in that region). The "shape" of an orbital, or "boundary
surface" is only a diagram of the areas where the electron density is highest
according to about a 90 percent probability. The actual shape of the orbitals
may actually be different, the shapes we see in our textbooks are only those
areas corresponding to probability functions. I can see I'm fast getting out
of my area of familiarity on this topic and suggest you might want to post
to sci.physics for better explanations on why these probability functions are
shaped the way they are. That subject gets into the area of quantum mechanics,
wave mechanics, sub-atomic particle interactions, etc. which makes my brain
hurt. I better just stick to making electrons flow thru circuitry without 
worrying about how atoms work internally.

Peace,
Neal
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Neal Howard (neal@cmptrc.lonestar.org)        CompuTrac, Inc. (Richardson,TX)
DoD #686   '91 XLH-1200      '70 Kawasaki G4-100cc    '69 Cougar XR7-GT390
	   Ensoniq VFX-SD    Kramer Pacer guitar      '70 429CJ(needs a home)
Disclaimer: The only above mentioned toys I play with on the below mentioned
	    Friday nights are the musical ones 8*}
"how often you get much more drunk than you ought to on a Friday night...
...about once a week" -  Tom Yates
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