d orbitals h

This is probably a stupid question and we don't even need to know the shapes of the d or f orbitals for my a-level chem spec but i was wondering why is the d orbital shaped like a 4 leaf clover with 4 orbitals when each singular orbital can hold 2 electrons 2x4 = 8 and we were taught that it can hold 10 electrons? why is this and where are the extra 2 coming from. Sorry if this makes no sense.

Reply 1

alow

19

Original post by xxNoodlezxx

This is probably a stupid question and we don't even need to know the shapes of the d or f orbitals for my a-level chem spec but i was wondering why is the d orbital shaped like a 4 leaf clover with 4 orbitals when each singular orbital can hold 2 electrons 2x4 = 8 and we were taught that it can hold 10 electrons? why is this and where are the extra 2 coming from. Sorry if this makes no sense.

There are 5 d orbitals, each of which can be occupied by 2 electrons.

They look like this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/D_orbitals.png

They have more lobes due to their functional form, it has nothing to do with the number of electrons.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 2

RockGirl19

16

Thank you! This really helps for my Advanced HIgher Chemistry.

Reply 3

xxNoodlezxx

OP

13

Original post by alow

There are 5 d orbitals, each of which can be occupied by 2 electrons.

They look like this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/D_orbitals.png

They have more lobes due to their functional form, it has nothing to do with the number of electrons.

ohhhh i get it. Thanks so much!! I feel like such an idiot now I thought for a moment that the amount of electrons that can be held were dependant on the number of lobes i just forgot that there are 5 different arrangements it can have.

Reply 4

xxNoodlezxx

OP

13

Original post by alow

There are 5 d orbitals, each of which can be occupied by 2 electrons.

They look like this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/D_orbitals.png

They have more lobes due to their functional form, it has nothing to do with the number of electrons.

Sorry to bother you again but can I ask why they have the number of lobes that they do? Im very curious about this topic :biggrin:

Reply 5

alow

19

Original post by xxNoodlezxx

Sorry to bother you again but can I ask why they have the number of lobes that they do? Im very curious about this topic :biggrin:

The orbital model comes from the solution of the Schrodinger equation for the Hydrogen atom:

\left( -\dfrac12 \nabla^2 +V(\mathbf{r}) \right) \psi(r,\theta,\phi) = E \psi(r,\theta,\phi)

Where the Laplacian in spherical coordinates is the kinetic energy operator and

V(\mathbf{r})

is the potential operator.

Now with a Coulomb potential from the nucleus-electron attraction, the solution turns out to be separable and of the form:

\psi(r,\theta,\phi) = R(r)Y(\theta,\phi)

R(r)

is the radial dependence, and

Y(\theta,\phi)

is the angular dependencies, which are called the spherical harmonics: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Spherical_harmonics

(edited 6 years ago)

d orbitals h

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