Subnodal maxima

The presence or nodes and small subnodal maxima" docs have a profound effect on the energy of electrons in different orbitals. An electron in an orbital with these subnodal maxima (particularly s orbitals with higher values of m are said to be penetrating, that is. they have considerable electron density in the region cl the nucleus. This is the fundamental reason for the ordering of the energy levels in poly-electronic atoms lj. 2s, 2p. 3. ip, etc. (see pages 20-22). 

---