Atomic orbitals 4d electron density

This page contains movies depicting the 4d_xy, 4d_xz, 4d_yz, and 4d_x²-y² wave functions. In all cases the red zones are where the 4d wave function has positive values and the white zones denote negative values. See the 4d wave function page for movies depicting the 4d the wave functions and nodal structures.

The "surface" of the three-dimensional orbital at the top centre of each movie represents points for which the electron density for that orbital is the same - an isosurface. By choosing different values of electron density, denoted by the bar moving up and down on the line plot or by the moving plane on the surface plot, then the size of the three-dimensional plot changes. All values of electron density are of necessity not negative since the square of any real number cannot be less than zero.

4d_z² orbital electron density

Movie depicting the 4d_z² electron density function (ψ_4dz²)². The z-axis lies from left to right.

The 4d_z² orbital has two conical nodes but no spherical nodes while the higher d-orbitals ( 4d, 5d, 6d, and 7d) have one or more.

4d_x²–y² orbital electron density

Movie depicting the 4d_x²–y² electron density function (ψ_{4dx²– y²})². The x-axis lies from left to right and the y-axis into the screen away from you.

The 4d_x²–y² orbital orbital is related to the 4d_xy orbital (below) by a 45° rotation about the z-axis.

4d_xy, 4d_xz, and 4d_yz orbital electron density

Movie depicting the 4d_xy electron density function (ψ_4dxy)². The x-axis lies from left to right and the y-axis into the screen away from you. The graph on the left shows values of (ψ_4dxy)² on the xy plane drawn through the nucleus while the graph on the right is a plot of values along a single line along the x=y line drawn through the nucleus. The form of the plots for the 4d_xz and 4d_yz orbitals is similar, differing only in orientation.

Each of the 4d_x²–y², 4d_xy, 4d_xz, and 4d_yz orbitals have two planar nodes normal to the axis of the orbital. These orbitals have one spherical node. The higher d-orbitals ( 5d, 6d, and 7d) have further spherical nodes while lower d-orbitals (3d) have none.