An illustration of the shape of the 3d orbitals.

The transition metal series is defined by the progressive filling of the 3d orbitals. These five orbitals have the following ml values:

ml=0, ±1, ±2,


dx2-y2

dxy

dxz

dyz

dz2

Hydrogen | Fluorine | Methane | Ethylene | Acetylene | Allene | Benzene | p-orbitals | d-orbitals | f-orbitals ml>