Atomic orbitals 5f electron density

This page contains movies depicting the 5f_xy, 5f_xz, 5f_yz, and 5f_x²-y² wave functions. In all cases the greenzones are where the 5f wave function has positive values and the white zones denote negative values. See the 5f wave function page for movies depicting the 5f 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.

Each of the 5f orbitals has three planar nodes or conical nodes. The 5f orbitals have no spherical nodes but the higher f-orbitals ( 6f and 7f) have more while the lower orbitals (4f) have fewer.

5f_z³, 5f_x³, and 5f_y³ orbital electron density

Movie depicting the 5f_z³ electron density function (ψ_5fz³)². The z-axis lies from left to right. The 5f_x³ and 5f_y³ orbitals are identical in appearance but orientated along the x and y axes respecively. The 5f_z³ orbital has two conical nodes.

5f_xz² and 5f_yz² orbital electron density

Movie depicting the 5f_xz² electron density function (ψ_5fxz²)². The left image shows a two-dimensional electron dot-density plot of the 5f_xz² orbital (across the x=0 plane). The right image is a plot along the y axis. The 5f_yz² is identical in appearance but rotated by 90° about the y-axis.

5f_xyz and 5f_z(x²-y²) electron density

Movie depicting the 5f_xyz electron density function (ψ_5fxyz)². The left image shows a two-dimensional electron dot-density plot of the 5f_xyz orbital (across the x=y plane). The right image is along the x=y, z=0 line. The 5f_xyz and 5f_z(x²-y²) are related to each other by a 45° rotation about the z-axis.

5f_y(3x²-y²) and 5f_x(x²-3y²) electron density

The first image shows a two-dimensional electron dot-density plot of the 5f_x(x²-3y²) orbital (across the z=0 plane, x axis pointing right). The 5f_y(3x²-y²) orbital is identical in appearance but rotated by 90° about the vertical z-axis.