Final answer:
An electron orbital is the region around an atom's nucleus where electrons are most likely to be found. It describes a probabilistic 'electron cloud' rather than a fixed path, with varying densities indicating the likelihood of an electron's presence in specific regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The region outside the nucleus where an electron can possibly be found is called an electron orbital. This orbital is not a fixed path, but rather a region in space around the nucleus of an atom where the probability of finding an electron is highest. Unlike the outdated model that depicted electrons orbiting the nucleus similar to planets around the sun, modern quantum mechanics describes this area as an electron cloud, which represents the spatial distribution of where the electron is most likely to be found.
Electrons are found in areas called electron shells, which are distinct layers at specific energy levels around the nucleus. The electron cloud has varying densities, indicating the likelihood of finding an electron in a given area: high density near the nucleus and lower density farther away. Due to the uncertainty principle, we cannot know the exact position of an electron, but we can determine the regions with the highest probability, which is what an electron orbital essentially defines.