In the quantum mechanical view of the atom, an electron is best thought of as:
A) a cloud that is centered on the nucleus
B) a particle orbiting the nucleus
C) free to orbit at any distance from the nucleus
D) a particle inside the nucleus
E) All of the above are true.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the quantum mechanical view, electrons do not have a precisely defined location or trajectory. Instead, they are best thought of as being described by a wave function, which gives the probability of finding an electron in a particular region of space. This concept is often represented by a "cloud" or "probability distribution" that is centered on the nucleus, rather than a discrete particle orbiting the nucleus.

In the Quantum Mechanical View of the Atom, an Electron