Question

(2 points) The following figures show (a) a contour plot in the xy plane with the y axis being the vertical axis, (b) the radial function, and (c) the radial probability distribution for a one-electron orbital. Positive and negative amplitudes are shown as red and blue, respectively. Darker colors indicate larger values for the magnitude of the amplitude. Distances are in units of ao. Identify the orbital (1s, 2p, 3d, and so on).

Answer 1

a) The plot shows that there is 1 planar node and 2 radial nodes in this orbital. The radial nodes can be identified by chainging of positive to negative amplitudes on going from origin towards positive x-axis. Or from the graphs (b) and (c) we can see that the value of wavefunction becomes zero twice between the origin and infinity.

Also, this orbital is along the x axis,

Therefore this orbital is 3p_x

b) From the contour plot we can see that this nodes has two planar nodes, Therefore it is a d orbital.

From b and c we can gather that this orbital has 1 radial node Therefore this is a 4d orbital.

Furthermore as this orbital is in xy plane but not aligened with the x and y axis. this is 4d_xy