Question

What are the different types of atomic orbitals?

Answer 1

Atomic orbitals are the region in the atom where the probability of finding the electron is maximum. There are many types of atomic orbitals but we will only consider which are present in the ground state.

Complete step by step answer:
First of all, we need to understand a little about atomic orbitals. Atomic orbitals are the quantum mechanical function which expresses the location and the wave-like behaviour of the electron in an atom. The probability of finding an electron is highest in atomic orbitals, thus this mathematical function is used to represent the probability of finding the electron in the regions near the nucleus in an atom.
There are many types of atomic orbitals, for example, s, p, d, f, g, h and so on. But we will only consider the atomic orbitals that are significant in the ground state of the atom. Any type of atomic orbital can only be determined by using two quantum numbers i.e., principal quantum number and azimuthal quantum number. The principal quantum number determines the size of an atomic orbital and the azimuthal quantum number determines the shape of the atomic orbital.
S orbitals: for any value of $n$, there is $l = 0$ value of the azimuthal quantum number.
They are spherical in shape and as the value of n increases, the size of the atomic orbital goes on increasing. For example, $4s$ orbital is larger in size than that of $2s$.
P orbitals: when the value of $n$ is greater than one, the value of l lies up to (n-1) and when the value of $l = 1$, it is called the p orbital. It is dumbbell in shape. There are three types of p orbital i.e., ${p_x},{{ }}{p_{y,}}{p_z}$ , with each pointing in a different direction.
D orbital: in this type of orbital, the value of $l = 2$. according to the change in shape and directions, there are five types of d orbitals. The ${d_z}^2$ has the shape of the doughnut. The other four d orbitals i.e., ${d_{xy}},{{ }}{d_{yz}},{{ }}{d_{zx}},{{ }}{d_x}{^2_{ - y}}^2$ have their four lobes in four different directions all meeting together on the origin.
F orbital: when the value of $n$ is three and the value of $l = 3$, it is called the f orbitals. There are seven different types of f orbitals present. The three out of the seven seem like a doughnut. The other four orbitals out of seven have eight of their lobes in different directions and each of them meeting together at the origin.

Note: These atomic orbitals are separated by the regions called nodes, which have the minimum probability or zero probability of finding the electrons. The radial node and the angular nodes are its two different types.