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Physical Chemistry

What is the significance of positive and negative signs on the orbitals

Profile image of homanga bharadhwaj
12 Years agoGrade
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1 Answer

Profile image of Sunil Kumar FP
11 Years ago

The positive and negative signs on the lobes of the orbital are not referring to charge, but to the displacement of the electron wave (up or down) in the p orbital. The positive lobe increases the electron density on that side of the atom, whereas the negative lobe decreases the electron density on that side.