Comment on Open Thread: January 2010

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:52:58 GMT

Yeah, it's basically just pretty pictures. However, they're pretty pictures that are probably an interesting knowledge gap for many here.

Perhaps what is rationality related is why these orbitals are never taught to students. I suppose because so few atoms are actually configured in higher orbitals, but students of all ages should find the pictures themselves interesting and understandable.

In high school chemistry, our book went up to e orbitals, and actually said something about how the f orbitals are not shown because they are impossible or very difficult to describe, which is blatantly untrue. I found some pictures of the f orbitals on the internet and showed my teacher (who was one of my best high school teachers) and he was really interested and showed all of his classes those pictures.

Discuss