Chemistry

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Chemistry

S Orbital

Atomic Structure

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com

Diagram of an S Orbital

S Orbital

ACD Labs
At any given moment, an electron can be found at any distance from the nucleus and in any direction according to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. The s orbital is a spherically-shaped region describing where an electron can be found, within a certain degree of probability. The shape of the orbital depends on the quantum numbers associated with an energy state. All s orbitals have l = m = 0, but the value of n can vary.

Explore Chemistry

About.com Special Features

Chemistry

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Chemistry
  4. General Chemistry
  5. Atom & Molecule Structure
  6. S Orbital

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.