Which of the following best describes a 2p atomic orbital?

• A. It has a dumbbell shape and is oriented along one of the axes (x, y, or z).
• B. It is spherical and centered around the nucleus.
• C. It is a ring-shaped orbital surrounding the nucleus.
• D. It has a four-lobed shape and lies in a plane.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that atomic orbitals describe the regions in space where there is a high probability of finding an electron around the nucleus.
2. Understand that the '2p' orbital refers to the principal quantum number n = 2 and the angular momentum quantum number l = 1, which defines the shape and orientation of the orbital.
3. Know that p orbitals have a characteristic dumbbell shape, which means they consist of two lobes on opposite sides of the nucleus.
4. Recognize that there are three 2p orbitals (2p_x, 2p_y, 2p_z), each oriented along one of the Cartesian axes (x, y, or z).
5. Compare this with other orbital shapes: s orbitals are spherical, d orbitals can have four-lobed shapes, and ring-shaped orbitals are not typical for p orbitals.