The size of s orbitals increases as the principal quantum number (n) increases. Therefore, higher energy s orbitals are larger.
s Orbital Size and Energy Levels
As energy levels increase, electrons are found further from the nucleus, leading to larger orbital sizes. This relationship is fundamental to understanding atomic structure and electron behavior.
- 1s < 2s < 3s < 4s < ...
This series illustrates that the 4s orbital, for example, is larger than the 3s, 2s, and 1s orbitals. The higher the 'n' value, the larger the s orbital. This is because the electron has a higher probability of being found further away from the nucleus.
Therefore, there isn't a single "largest" s orbital, as the size continues to increase with each subsequent energy level. We can say that, comparatively, an ns orbital is larger than an (n-1)s orbital. In essence, the "largest" s orbital depends on the specific atom and how many electron shells it possesses. If asked about orbitals within a certain atom (e.g., Potassium), then the answer would be the outermost s-orbital occupied by that atom, which would be 4s.
