44. What is the difference between an orbital and the electron cloud?

44. What is the difference between an orbital and the electron cloud?





please help with this one44. What is the difference between an orbital and the electron cloud?
An atomic orbital is a mathematical function that describes the wave-like behavior of either one electron or a pair of electrons in an atom. This function can be used to calculate the probability of finding any electron of an atom in any specific region around the atom's nucleus. The electron cloud of a many-electron atom is partly “composed” of atomic orbitals, each containing only one or two electrons. Together they form a spherical area around the nucleus, like the atmosphere of Earth.