What are the atomic orbitals and how are they derived?
Atomic orbitals are regions of space around the nucleus of an atom where there is a high probability of finding an electron. The electrons in an atom occupy these orbitals, which are characterized by their energy level, shape, and orientation.

The atomic orbitals are derived from the solutions to the Schrödinger equation, which describes the behavior of quantum systems. The solutions to this equation, called wave functions, provide information about the probability density of finding an electron at any point in space around the nucleus.