difference between orbit and orbitals in atom

The terms "orbit" and "orbital" are related but refer to different concepts in the context of atomic structure and quantum mechanics:

Orbit

• An "orbit" is an older and somewhat outdated concept in atomic theory.
• It was first introduced by Niels Bohr in his atomic model, which was a precursor to the modern quantum mechanical model.
• In the Bohr model, electrons were thought to move in specific circular or elliptical paths around the nucleus, similar to how planets orbit the sun.
• Orbits were defined by specific energy levels, and electrons could only exist in these discrete orbits.

Orbital

• An "orbital" is a more modern and accurate concept used in quantum mechanics to describe the probability distribution of electrons in an atom.
• Instead of fixed paths like orbits, electrons are described by wave functions, which represent the likelihood of finding an electron in a particular region of space.
• Orbitals are three-dimensional regions in space where electrons are most likely to be found with a certain level of probability. They are not fixed paths but rather areas where electrons are distributed.
• Orbitals are characterized by quantum numbers (e.g., n, l, m), and they come in various shapes and sizes (s, p, d, f orbitals), each with specific spatial properties.

In summary, the key difference is that "orbits" are the older idea of fixed electron paths in the Bohr model, while "orbitals" are the more modern and accurate description of electron probability distributions in quantum mechanics. Orbitals provide a more detailed and probabilistic view of where electrons are likely to exist within an atom.