Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
The 2s orbital is a type of atomic orbital, or region where an electron can exist within an atom. It's part of the second energy level (n=2) and has a spherical shape.
Related terms
Atomic Orbital: A region in an atom where there is a high probability to find electrons.
Energy Level: The fixed amount of energy that a system described by quantum mechanics, such as a molecule, atom, electron, or nucleus, can have.