Question

How many nodal points 3p orbital have?

Answer 1

Not sure what you mean by points, but the `3p` orbital has:

• a principal quantum number `n = 3`, placing it on the third energy level.
• an angular momentum quantum number `l = 1`, giving it the shape of a `p` orbital.

The number of radial nodes, otherwise known as spherical shell nodes, is given by `n - l - 1`, so there is

`n - l - 1 = 3 - 1 - 1 = bb1` radial node

in the `3p` orbital (see the green circle in the image above).

The number of angular nodes (or nodal planes, for orbitals that are not the `d_(z^2)` or `f_(z^3)`), is given by `l`, so there is

`l = bb1` angular node (here, nodal plane)

in the `3p` orbital (the plane perpendicular to the orbital axis).

Thus, the total number of nodes (regardless of type) is given by

`n - 1 = 3 - 1 = bb2` total nodes in general in the `3p` orbital.

Nodal planes are depicted more explicitly here: