Spherical Harmonics Visualization
Current function:
About Spherical and Solid Harmonics
Spherical harmonics are special functions defined on the surface of a sphere. Real solid harmonics are polynomial functions in Cartesian coordinates. Both are important in quantum mechanics for describing atomic orbitals.
These functions are characterized by two quantum numbers:
- Angular momentum quantum number (l): Determines the overall shape and number of nodal planes
- Magnetic quantum number (m): Controls the orientation and number of nodal cones, where
Spherical vs Cartesian: Spherical harmonics are expressed in spherical coordinates (θ,φ), while real solid harmonics are polynomials in Cartesian coordinates (x,y,z). Cartesian forms are often more intuitive for visualizing atomic orbitals like px, py, dxy, etc.
Visualization: The surface shape represents the amplitude showing the probability density distribution. Colors indicate the distance from the origin (orbital amplitude). Try different color maps to enhance visualization.
Visualization Controls
Quantum Numbers
Angular Momentum (l):2
Magnetic Number (m):0
Visualization Settings
Color Map: