atomic orbital

noun — 2 senses

atomic orbital

noun
1

Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Physical A mathematical function that describes the wave-like behavior of either one electron or a pair of electrons in an atom. This function can be used to calculate the probability of finding any electron of an atom in any specific region around the atom's nucleus.

Quantum mechanics

2

The physical region or space where an electron can be calculated to be present, as defined by the particular mathematical form of the orbital.

Related terms
molecular orbital

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.