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  • Atomic Orbitals: Are Electron Clouds Always Spherical? - Physics Explained
    That statement is false. While some atomic orbitals are spherical, many are not.

    Here's why:

    * S orbitals are indeed spherical, but they represent only one type of atomic orbital.

    * P orbitals have a dumbbell shape with two lobes on opposite sides of the nucleus.

    * D orbitals have more complex shapes with multiple lobes and sometimes rings.

    * F orbitals are even more complex with even more lobes.

    Therefore, saying that all electron probability clouds are spherical is incorrect.

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