Thread: probability density

As you hopefully know I am not that educated in math, but how do youget the orbitolsprobability"pictures" that I sometimes see. Is it a graph of the probability density equation/expression/whaterver-it-is?

As far as I can tell, it's an iso-probability surface. Something like, take the equation for the probability of it being at any point, then plot all the points at exactly 50%. The different integer parameters then give the different graphs.

thanks, now for my recap to see what I have wrong.
You take the equation if it were at every point, which is not defined because it is at every point? then you take half of that? and------
I know its wrong because it doesn't work. sorry :?

No, you take the equation that, when you plug in a point, it gives you the probability of finding an electron at that point. Then, you map out all the points that give you a 50% answer.

When I get a little more time, I can show you what I mean with Wolfram Alpha.

ooohhh. i get it now. sorry for my misunderstanding.