Atomic orbitals are areas around the nucleus where electrons are most likely to be found. There are four main types:
- s orbital – spherical, holds 2 electrons
- p orbital – dumbbell-shaped, holds 6 electrons (3 orbitals × 2)
- d orbital – cloverleaf-shaped, holds 10 electrons (5 orbitals × 2)
- f orbital – complex shape, holds 14 electrons (7 orbitals × 2)
In short:
s = sphere, p = dumbbell, d = clover, f = complex