Question

What are the nodal planes of the `d_(x^2-y^2)` orbital?

Answer 1

The nodal planes of the `d_(x^2-y^2)` orbitals are the non-axial planes.

Explanation:

A nodal plane or nodal surface of a wave-function is an area where there is zero displacement; zero electron density.

Example: `3d_(x^2-y^2)` orbital

Since the `d-"orbitals"` have definite geometric properties, it is easy to recognize such planes/surfaces, and these are the regions which have no axial component in the `xy` plane.