Question
Which of the following point in Figure 2 most accurately represents the nodal surface as shown in Figure 1?
JEE Main
Chemistry
Structure of Atom
2026
JEE Main 2026 (28 January Shift 1)
JEE Main Chemistry Question (2026) — Solution
Options
- A. D
- B. A
- C. C
- D. B
Answer
D. B
Step-by-step solution
The 2s orbital has one radial nodal surface, which is a spherical surface shown in Figure 1. A nodal surface is where the electron probability density (and wave function) equals zero, meaning _ 2s (x) = 0. From the wave function graph in Figure 2, point B represents where the wave function crosses zero on the x-axis, indicating the location of the radial node. Points A and C show maximum and minimum values respectively, while point D shows a non-zero region beyond the node.
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