Angular functions: 'shapes'

The mathematical functions for atomic orbitals may be described as a product of two factors: the radial wavefunction defines the behavior of the electron as a function of distance from the nucleus (see below); the angular wavefunction shows how it varies with the direction in space. Angular wavefunctions do not lay on n and are characteristic features of s, p, d,...orbitals.

Fig. 1. The shapes of s, p and d orbitals. Shading shows negative values of the wavefunction