Question

A $3p$ orbital has:

• A. two nonspherical nodes
• B. two spherical nodes
• C. one spherical and one nonspherical node
• D. one spherical and two nonspherical nodes

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Total nodes$=n-1$
No. of radial nodes $=n-1-1$
No. of angular nodes $=l$
For 3p sub-shell, $n=3,l=1$
$\therefore$ No. of radial nodes $=n-l-1=3-1-1=1$
$\therefore$ No. of angular nodes $=l=1$