Atomic+Orbitals+Exploration



Author & Date: Daniel Sinkovits 10/24/2010

Topic/Concept: Atomic orbitals

Type of Activity: Guided discussion with worksheet.

Prerequisite knowledge: The teacher should play with the applet beforehand to ensure that the transitions between different orbitals can go smoothly. In particular, you'll want to check "stopped" to stop the cycling of colors which will distract most students. Also, be sure to set the resolution so that it is both detailed enough and able to be rotated smoothly. Finally, try using slices to show the layered structure of the higher order s and p orbitals.

Resources required: One computer with a projector, for a guided discussion.

Learning Objectives: 1. Electrons in an atom do not move in orbits, but inhabit orbitals, which describe where the electron is most likely to be. 2. The orbitals correspond to the different energy levels. 3. Different orbitals have different shapes, but there is a logic of how shape relates to energy level. 4. Higher energy levels of the same sublevel add another layer, but preserve the same shape. 5. Higher sublevels of the same energy level have different shapes.

Common Misconceptions: The students will wonder why there are two different colors. Brightness in either color corresponds to a high probability of finding the electron in that location. The different colors correspond to positive and negative quantum mechanical amplitudes. The probability of finding an electron is proportional to amplitude squared. Only the most interested students need to hear that explanation. A fun book that covers this idea is Richard Feynman's //QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter//.

A common misconception, even among educated scientists is that the orbitals imply that the electrons are extended, wavelike objects. This isn't true; electrons are still point particles. Orbitals are really probability distributions of how likely it is to find an electron at each point in space. This distinction is probably not too important for a high schooler to know. If you can, explain the definition of orbitals to avoid enhancing this misconception.

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