2p Orbital

Definition

The 2p orbital refers to the three atomic orbitals found on the second energy level (n=2), each with two lobes pointing in different directions along x,y,z axes respectively.

Related terms

Quantum Numbers: Set of four numbers used to describe completely the movement and trajectories of each electron within an atom.

Subshell: A division of electron shells separated by different angular momentum quantum numbers.

Degenerate Orbitals: Orbitals that have the same energy levels. For example, all three 2p orbitals are degenerate because they have equal energies.