Question
Write the significance of a plus and minus sign shown in representing the orbitals.
Solution
The orbital is the maximum probability of finding an electron around the nucleus. This probability is measured in terms of the wave function. The wave function can be positive or negative values.
Since orbitals are represented by wave functions, therefore a plus sign in an orbital represents a positive wave function and a minus sign represents a negative wave function. Further the wave functions of two 1s atomic orbitals can combine in two different ways:
(i) When both have the same signs.
(ii) When they have different signs.
