Atom animated--nucleus & electron orbitals (electron cloud).

This animation of the atom starts with a solid little black ball, representing the nucleus. Of course, the nucleus is not a hard little ball. For one thing, it has components—proton(s) and, for most elements, neutrons. These components are subatomic and have properties of both waves and particles. But for simplicity, the nucleus is shown as if it were a little ball of matter.

The nucleus is positively charged due to the presence of protons. Each proton has one unit of positive charge. Neutrons have no charge. The positive charge around the nucleus is shown as a kind of scaffolding or network around it.

The positive nucleus attracts electrons. Each electron has one unit of negative charge. If the nucleus has only one proton, it will attract one electron, and the two will balance each other perfectly. The positive and negative charges cancel to make the atom electrically neutral.

The animation first shows the nucleus attracting one electron. One proton and one electron is the simplest atom, hydrogen. The animation notes this with the symbol H.

The electron is shown as a spherical electron cloud or “orbital.” Contrary to what is often taught in school, the electron is not orbiting the nucleus like the Earth orbits the sun. That visualization is easy to get across in school but is almost a century out-of-date. Today, the electron is thought of as occupying a region around the nucleus called an “orbital.”

The electron orbital within the hydrogen atom can have a number of different shapes. Orbital shape depends upon how energized the electron is. However, this animation keeps it simple by showing only one shape, a sphere.

In the animation, electrons are added to the atom, one by one. This would not occur in nature—electrons do not simply jump into hydrogen atoms to make other elements. The animation is showing a series of other elements, not how they’re created.

Elements with more electrons must also have more protons in the nucleus to keep the charge of the atom balanced. Neutrons are also needed to allow the nucleus to hold together. A balance of protons and electrons, with the help of neutrons, results in atoms that are electrically neutral. The animation, again, simplifies by not showing us the contents of the nucleus.

The other elements shown with spherical orbitals are helium, symbolized He; lithium, symbolized Li; and beryllium, symbolized Be. The orbital is shown as larger for the atoms with more electrons. As in the case of hydrogen, at different energy levels, the electron orbitals can take on other shapes besides spherical. And, while this is not indicated, each electron has its own orbital. So, the atom is actually a nucleus with a set of orbitals around it, one orbital for each electron.

The animation changes to show a dumbbell-shaped orbital for boron, symbolized B, and carbon, symbolized C. More complex orbital shapes are shown for other elements: nitrogen, N; oxygen, O; and fluorine, F, and so on.

While the animation has selected one set of orbital shapes for each of the elements shown, in reality, each element can have many different sets of orbital shapes depending on energy levels of its electrons.

[TalooshDaBoss]

you should make one of these with d and f orbitals too, its really nice to see

[Rationalific]

That's really cool to see how it works for each of the first few elements! Thanks!

[jmbbao]

Hi Alexandra. Electrons are toroids. I asked what is in the center of the toroid that makes the electron to orbit it that way and the answer was "an energy you don't know yet". In my opinion this toroid the electron creates has two poles similar to a magnet. It could be these poles or perhaps the movement of this toroid what causes all the effects we know of electrons. I also asked if a proton is a black hole but no answer to me was given. Questions asked in an internet chat with a lyrian (human-looking) extraterrestrial woman. There are bacteria that converts lead in gold (substracting one proton in the nucleus) and in my opinion this means the structure of the atom IS NOT a nucleus and the electrons around it but more like pairs of proton-electron glued together in geometrical shapes (only some are stable so perhaps that is also a factor on something). It makes no sense having a nucleus with protons and neutrons (and a neutron is just a proton+electron). No bacteria would be able to steal one proton of the nucleus in lead to convert it to gold if the childlike structure of a nucleus and electrons orbiting around were real in my opinion. Rusians talked about this conversion from lead to gold years ago but of course we don't have free science but controlled adoctrination where everything the controllers see dangerous is muted, censured, eliminated.

[Jesuisunknown]

I'm thinking how about the electrons in water molecules? Electrons in metals that flows electricity?

[erkanmahmut]

İ want to see all!! Why you fast forward. And tx for the tip

[bernyujeco-espaldon]

Hi Alexandra,


I am Bern and I am currently preparing my lecture on electrical charges. Do you mind if I show this video to my class? Thanks! :)

[Vishal-hwzi]

But orbital are 3d model of orbits and in orbits electron move in circular path but how can it now move in dumble shape?

[ndsseniors]

Why does the particle Change when there is an observer

[astreetfoodnameddesire]

How fast are the electrons moving, within the atom?

[intoalignment-conscioushea]

Does this mean that the atom is a torus?

[normanlafave]

This video is incorrect. When you are in a p sublevel (say B to F), each p orbital gets one electron before it double's up (Hund's Rule). The video shows each p orbital filling before the next one gets an electron (wrong).

[hanniffydinn]

Why are we assuming it's God does not play dice, there must be some structure or order to where they are in the orbital, not just random.