Visualizing Atomic Orbitals Using Programming

Estimated Time: 15-30 minutes
Notebook Developed By: Lan Dinh

Welcome! This notebook will help you understand and visualize atomic orbitals using Python programming. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to plot wave functions of different orbitals and gain insights into their shapes and properties.

The source for this notebook is:

https://weisscharlesj.github.io/SciCompforChemists/notebooks/chapter_03/chap_03_notebook.html

Note: To run a cell, first move your cursor over it and click once. After that, press Ctrl + Enter on your keyboard. Remember to run the cells sequentially from top to bottm of this notebook to avoid errors.

Learning Outcomes¶

By the end of this notebook, you will:

• Calculate and visualize the radial wavefunctions $R_{nl}(r)$ for hyrogen orbitals 1s, 2s, 3s, 2p, 3p, and 3d.

• Visualize and compare the angular shapes of $s$, $p_{x}$, $d_{xy}$, and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals in polar coordinates.

Table of Contents¶

1. Context Background
   

2. Radial Wavefunctions
   2.1. Mathematical Definitions
   2.2. Python Implementation
   

3. Angular Wavefuncions in Polar Coordinates
   3.1. Mathematical Definitions
   3.2. Python Implementation
   

Run the cell below to import all our required materials for this notebook!¶

1. Context Background¶

Atomic orbitals are fundamental concepts in quantum chemistry and atomic physics, describing the regions in an atom where electrons are most likely to be found. Understanding the shapes and properties of these orbitals is crucial for comprehending chemical bonding, electron configurations, and the behavior of atoms in various chemical reactions.

Traditional methods of teaching atomic orbitals often rely on static images and mathematical equations, which can be abstract and challenging for students to visualize and grasp. However, with the advent of programming and computational tools, we can create dynamic visualizations that bring these abstract concepts to life.

This module aims to leverage the power of Python programming to visualize atomic orbitals, making the learning process more interactive and engaging. By combining theoretical principles with practical coding exercises, students can gain a deeper understanding of the spatial distributions and characteristics of different orbitals.

2. Radial Wavefunctions¶

2.1. Radial Wavefunctions: Mathematical Definitions¶

Constants¶

The following constants are used in the calculations:

• $a_0 = 52.92 \, \mathrm{pm}$: The Bohr radius, representing the average distance of an electron in the ground state of hydrogen.

• $Z = 1$: The atomic number of hydrogen, which has one proton in the nucleus.

Radial Wavefunctions¶

The radial wavefunctions $R_{nl}(r)$ describe the radial part of the wavefunction for hydrogen orbitals. These functions depend on the principal quantum number $n$, orbital angular momentum quantum number $l$, and the distance $r$ from the nucleus.

General Formula¶

Each radial wavefunction has the general form:

where:

• $\sigma = \frac{2Zr}{n a_0}$: A dimensionless parameter scaling with the distance $r$.

• $f(r, Z, a_0)$: A polynomial factor specific to each orbital.

• $e^{-\sigma / 2}$: Exponential decay, representing the decrease in wavefunction amplitude as distance increases.

Specific Radial Wavefunctions¶

The following are the specific radial wavefunctions for hydrogen orbitals:

• $1s$ Orbital

  $$R_{1s}(r) = 2 \left( \frac{Z}{a_0} \right)^{3/2} e^{-\sigma / 2},$$

  (2)

  where $\sigma = \frac{2Zr}{a_0}$.

• $2s$ Orbital

  $$R_{2s}(r) = \frac{1}{2\sqrt{2}} \left( \frac{Z}{a_0} \right)^{3/2} (2 - \sigma) e^{-\sigma / 2},$$

  (3)

  where $\sigma = \frac{Zr}{a_0}$.

• $3s$ Orbital

  $$R_{3s}(r) = \frac{1}{9\sqrt{3}} \left( \frac{Z}{a_0} \right)^{3/2} (6 - 6\sigma + \sigma^2) e^{-\sigma / 2},$$

  (4)

  where $\sigma = \frac{2Zr}{3a_0}$.

• $2p$ Orbital

  $$R_{2p}(r) = \frac{1}{2\sqrt{6}} \left( \frac{Z}{a_0} \right)^{3/2} \sigma e^{-\sigma / 2},$$

  (5)

  where $\sigma = \frac{Zr}{a_0}$.

• $3p$ Orbital

  $$R_{3p}(r) = \frac{1}{9\sqrt{6}} \left( \frac{Z}{a_0} \right)^{3/2} \sigma (4 - \sigma) e^{-\sigma / 2},$$

  (6)

  where $\sigma = \frac{2Zr}{3a_0}$.

• $3d$ Orbital

  $$R_{3d}(r) = \frac{1}{9\sqrt{30}} \left( \frac{Z}{a_0} \right)^{3/2} \sigma^2 e^{-\sigma / 2},$$

  (7)

  where $\sigma = \frac{2Zr}{3a_0}$.

2.2. Radial Wavefunctions: Python¶

Now, let’s translate the mathematical formulas into Python code. The code cell below implements the radial wavefunctions for each orbital using the equations presented earlier.

Each function corresponds to the formula provided above (e.g., radial_1s for $R_{1s}(r)$) and calculates the value of the radial wavefunction at a given distance r.

Run the cell below to define these functions

Now, let’s explore and visualize each radial wavefunction individually. Run the cell below and use the dropdown menu to select and visualize different orbital levels.

Let’s visualize all the radial wavefunctions together in a single plot for comparison.

3. Angular Wavefuncions in Polar Coordinates¶

3.1. Angular Wavefuncions in Polar Coordinates: Mathematical Definitions¶

The angular wavefunctions $Y_{lm}(\theta, \phi)$ describe the angular dependence of the wavefunction for hydrogen orbitals. These depend on the angular momentum quantum numbers $l$ and $m_l$, and the spherical coordinates $\theta$ (polar angle) and $\phi$ (azimuthal angle).

Angular Wavefunctions¶

The following are the angular wavefunctions for selected hydrogen orbitals:

• $s$ Orbital

  $$Y_s(\theta, \phi) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{4\pi}}$$

  (8)

  The $s$ orbital is spherically symmetric, meaning its angular component is independent of $\theta$ and $\phi$.

• $p_x$ Orbital

  $$Y_{p_x}(\theta, \phi) = \sqrt{\frac{3}{4\pi}} \sin\theta \cos\phi$$

  (9)

  The $p_x$ orbital has a directional dependence, with lobes along the $x$-axis determined by $\sin\theta$ and $\cos\phi$.

• $d_{xy}$ Orbital

  $$Y_{d_{xy}}(\theta, \phi) = \sqrt{\frac{15}{16\pi}} \sin^2\theta \sin(2\phi)$$

  (10)

  The $d_{xy}$ orbital exhibits a cloverleaf shape in the $xy$-plane, influenced by $\sin^2\theta$ and $\sin(2\phi)$.

• $d_{z^2}$ Orbital

  $$Y_{d_{z^2}}(\theta, \phi) = \sqrt{\frac{5}{16\pi}} \left( 3\cos^2\theta - 1 \right)$$

  (11)

  The $d_{z^2}$ orbital has a unique shape with a “donut-like” region around the $z$-axis, determined by $\cos^2\theta$.

Conversion to Cartesian Coordinates¶

To plot these angular wavefunctions in three dimensions, the spherical coordinates $(r, \theta, \phi)$ are converted to Cartesian coordinates $(x, y, z)$ using the following equations:

• $x$-coordinate

  $$x = r \sin\theta \cos\phi$$

  (12)

• $y$-coordinate

  $$y = r \sin\theta \sin\phi$$

  (13)

• $z$-coordinate

  $$z = r \cos\theta$$

  (14)

Summary¶

• Angular wavefunctions define the shape and orientation of orbitals.

• Cartesian conversion allows visualization in 3D space by transforming spherical coordinates to Cartesian coordinates.

3.2. Angular Wavefuncions in Polar Coordinates: Python Implementation¶

Congratulations! You Have Completed the Notebook!¶