orbital

noun

or·bit·al | \ ˈȯr-bə-tᵊl

Definition of orbital

: a mathematically described region around a nucleus in an atom or molecule that may contain zero, one, or two electrons

Examples of orbital in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chemistry is a sort of applied physics, with the behavior of electrons and their orbitals dictating a set of rules for which reactions can take place and what products will remain stable. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "AI plus a chemistry robot finds all the reactions that will work," 18 July 2018 Not mere Center City orbitals, these nonprofit suburban theaters are their own heavenly bodies, with their own individual fields of gravity. — John Timpane, Philly.com, "Surprise: There's good theater in the Philly suburbs," 13 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'orbital.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.