Chemistry
Atomic Orbitals
Quick fact
The shape of an atom's orbitals determines the geometry of molecules—for instance, the tetrahedral shape of methane (CH₄) comes from the arrangement of its carbon atom's p orbitals.
Why this is interesting
You've probably seen diagrams of atoms with electrons orbiting like planets—but the reality is far stranger: electrons exist in fuzzy clouds, not neat paths. So where, exactly, are they?