Shape of f orbital is

Answer 1

Any discussion of the shapes of electron orbitals is necessarily imprecise, because a given electron, regardless of which orbital it occupies, can at any moment be found at any distance from the nucleus and in any direction due to the uncertainty principle. However, the electron is much more likely to be found in certain regions of the atom than in others. Given this, a boundary surface can be drawn so that the electron has a high probability to be found anywhere within the surface, and all regions outside the surface have low values. The precise placement of the surface is arbitrary, but any reasonably compact determination must follow a pattern specified by the behavior of ψ2, the square of the wavefunction. This boundary surface is what is meant when the "shape" of an orbital is mentioned. Generally speaking, the number n determines the size and energy of the orbital: as n increases, the size of the orbital increases. Also in general terms, determines an orbital's shape, and its orientation. However, since some orbitals are described by equations in complex numbers, the shape sometimes depends on also. The single s-orbitals () are shaped like spheres. For n=1 the sphere is "solid" (it is most dense at the center and fades exponentially outwardly), but for n=2 or more, each single s-orbital is composed of spherically symmetric surfaces which are nested shells (i.e., the "wave-structure" is radial, following a sinusoidal radial component as well). The s-orbitals for all n numbers are the only orbitals with an anti-node (a region of high wave function density) at the center of the nucleus. All other orbitals (p, d, f, etc.) have angular momentum, and thus avoid the nucleus (having a wave node at the nucleus). The three p-orbitals have the form of two ellipsoids with a point of tangency at the nucleus (sometimes referred to as a dumbbell). The three p-orbitals in each shell are oriented at right angles to each other, as determined by their respective values of . Four of the five d-orbitals look similar, each with four pear-shaped balls, each ball tangent to two others, and the centers of all four lying in one plane, between a pair of axes. Three of these planes are the xy-, xz-, and yz-planes, and the fourth has the centres on the x and y axes. The fifth and final d-orbital consists of three regions of high probability density: a torus with two pear-shaped regions placed symmetrically on its z axis. There are seven f-orbitals, each with shapes more complex than those of the d-orbitals. For each s, p, d, f and g set of orbitals, the set of orbitals which composes it forms a spherically symmetrical set of shapes. For non-s orbitals, which have lobes, the lobes point in directions so as to fill space as symmetrically as possible for number of lobes which exist. For example, the three p orbitals have six lobes which are oriented to each of the six primary directions of 3-D space; for the 5 d orbitals, there are a total of 18 lobes, in which again six point in primary directions, and the 12 additional lobes fill the 12 gaps which exist between each pairs of these 6 primary axes. The shapes of atomic orbitals in one-electron atom are related to 3-dimensional spherical harmonics

Answer 2

The structure of f-orbital is still unknown. It is research in process. Scientist are trying to find out its shape by various techniques. It can be imagined that the shape of f-orbital is a complex mixture of s,p and d orbital shapes.

Pictures are easier than written answers in this case:

cf. Related links (just at the lower left of this answer page).

For some explanation look at Related question (also at the lower left of this answer page).

Any discussion of the shapes of electron orbitals is necessarily imprecise, because a given electron, regardless of which orbital it occupies, can at any moment be found at any distance from the nucleus and in any direction due to the uncertainty principle. However, the electron is much more likely to be found in certain regions of the atom than in others. Given this, a boundary surface can be drawn so that the electron has a high probability to be found anywhere within the surface, and all regions outside the surface have low values. The precise placement of the surface is arbitrary, but any reasonably compact determination must follow a pattern specified by the behavior of ψ2, the square of the wavefunction.

This boundary surface is what is meant when the "shape" of an orbital is mentioned. Generally speaking, the number ndetermines the size and energy of the orbital: as nincreases, the size of the orbital increases. Also in general terms, determines an orbital's shape, and its orientation. However, since some orbitals are described by equations in complex numbers, the shape sometimes depends on also.

The single s-orbitals () are shaped like spheres. For n=1 the sphere is "solid" (it is most dense at the center and fades exponentially outwardly), but for n=2 or more, each single s-orbital is composed of spherically symmetric surfaces which are nested shells (i.e., the "wave-structure" is radial, following a sinusoidal radial component as well). The s-orbitals for all n numbers are the only orbitals with an anti-node (a region of high wave function density) at the center of the nucleus. All other orbitals (p, d, f, etc.) have angular momentum, and thus avoid the nucleus (having a wave node at the nucleus).

Four of the five d-orbitals look similar, each with four pear-shaped balls, each ball tangent to two others, and the centers of all four lying in one plane, between a pair of axes. Three of these planes are the xy-, xz-, and yz-planes, and the fourth has the centres on the x and y axes. The fifth and final d-orbital consists of three regions of high probability density: a torus with two pear-shaped regions placed symmetrically on its z axis. There are seven f-orbitals, each with shapes more complex than those of the d-orbitals. For each s, p, d, f and g set of orbitals, the set of orbitals which composes it forms a spherically symmetrical set of shapes. In the link below, you can find all of them.

Answer 3

Our high school teacher said it is too complicated.

Answer 4

The shape of the f orbital is spherical. It is used to describe the configurations of the electrons in an atom.