How will you distinguish between orbit and orbital?

Orbit

Orbital

1.It is well defined circular path traced by an electron around the nucleus.

1. It is the region in space around the nucleus where the probability of finding an electron is maximum.

2. It represents the planar motion of an electron.

2. It represents the three-dimensional motion of an electron around the nucleus.

3. Orbit is circular in shape.

3. Orbitals may have different shapes. For example, s-orbital is spherical, p-orbital is dumb-bell shaped and d-orbital is double dumbbell shaped.

4. The maximum number of electrons in an orbit is 2n- where n is the number of orbits.

4. The maximum number of electrons in an orbital is two.

5. An orbit has a fixed location from the nucleus.

5. An orbital is a riot situated at an exact distance from the nucleus.

6. There is certainty about the position and momentum (or velocity) of an electron in an orbit (Heisenberg's uncertainty principle is violated).

6. There is no certainty of position and momentum of an electron wave at any point inside the orbital. It obeys uncertainty principle.