A node in an orbital is a region where
- A. the electron density is maximum
- B. the probability of finding the electron is zero
- C. the nucleus is located
- D. two orbitals overlap
Explanation
The wave function passes through zero at a node, so the electron is never found there, and the number of nodes increases with the principal quantum number. A 2s orbital has one radial node while a 1s has none. Nodes are a direct consequence of treating the electron as a wave.