What are the S orbital and p orbital?

Answer 1

Atoms used to be thought to look like little solar systems. Now they are thought to be nesting shells of probability density functions known as orbitals. The S1 and P1 orbitals are the first two filled with other S and P orbitals following along with the various D and F orbitals. The S orbitals are essentially spheres with the P orbitals looking like infinity signs.

Aside: A probability density function maps out where the electron is most likely to be in relation to the nucleus of the atom - not that it is there, just likely to be.

Answer 2

s and p relate to the orbit where the electron most likely is. s orbitals tend to be spherically symmetric around the nucleus, whereas p orbitals would look like two identical balloons tethered at the nucleus.

The s and p orbitals are further classified by the addition of a number, so for example the 1s orbital is closer to the nucleus then the 3s and so on

Answer 3

An s-orbital is spherically symmetric. There are three p orbitals which are at right angles to one another and are called the px, py and pz .

Each orbital can ONLY hold a maximum of two electrons ( Pauli's exclusion principle), these two electrons have opposite spins.

For each principal quantum number n (sometimes called the shell) there is just one

s-orbital (eg 1s, 2s, 3s etc) and for principal quantum numbers 2 and above three p orbitals.,(2px, 2py, 2pz, 3px, 3py, 3pz etc)

The energy sequence low to high is

1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 3d, 4s, 4p, 4d, 4f etc.

Answer 4

The S orbital is spherical (s for sphere). The p orbital looks like an infinity sign (or an 8), with the crossover, being the nucleus). The p orbital is often described as dumbbell shaped.