Question

What was the basis for the origin of the concept of an atomic orbital? Define atomic orbital.

Answer 1

The basis for the origin of the concept of an atomic orbital are:

1. Louis de-Broglie suggested that all particles can also behave as a wave with a wavelength $\mathrm{\lambda }$.
2. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that it is impossible to determine the exact position and energy of an electron simultaneously.
3. Schrodinger's wave equation: He also treated the electrons as matter waves and he gave the equation: $\stackrel{\wedge }{\mathrm{H}}\mathrm{\psi }=\mathrm{E\psi }$. This equation is solved to obtain the series of wave functions, $\mathrm{\psi }$. The square of this wave function (${\mathrm{\psi }}^2$) represents the probability of finding the electron in a specified region of the atom.
4. Hence, an atomic orbital is defined as the region of the atom where it is highly probable to find the electron.