# Atomic orbital

An orbital is a region around the nucleus where an electron is most likely to be found. An s orbital is a sphere. A p orbital is shaped like a dumbbell. Each orbital holds at most two electrons.

Chemistry (university) · Part 01: Atomic structure and periodic trends · Card 5 of 10 · Last updated 2026-10-19

## Analogy

Like a cloud of mist rather than a racetrack: dense where the electron is likely, thin where it is not.

## Example

**Orbitals per subshell**

s: 1 orbital (2 electrons)
p: 3 orbitals (6 electrons)
d: 5 orbitals (10 electrons)
f: 7 orbitals (14 electrons)

## In practice

The shape of orbitals decides the shape of molecules, because bonds form where orbitals overlap.

## Practice

### Flashcards

- **How many orbitals are in a p subshell, and how many electrons fit?** Three orbitals, holding up to six electrons.

## Questions people ask

### Is an orbital the same as an orbit?

No. An orbit, from the old Bohr model, was a fixed circular path. An orbital is a probability map showing where an electron is likely to be found. The electron has no exact path, so we can only describe how likely each place is.

### What is a node in an orbital?

A node is a place where the chance of finding the electron is zero. A 2s orbital has one spherical node inside it. A 2p orbital has a flat node through the nucleus, which is why the two lobes of a dumbbell are separated.

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