How is an electron cloud part of the current atomic model?

Question

aaronq · Answer

The electron "cloud" is the volume of space around the nucleus (or nuclei in a molecule) based on the electron density distribution, it described mathematical by the wave function.

anonymous · Answer

It's not.  An "electron cloud" is a terrible piece of teaching language that gives the completely wrong impression of what electrons in an atom are doing.  There is NO WAY an electron in an atom can possibly be described as any kind of "cloud."

The thing that is trying to be described is, at best, the wavefunction of the electron, which is a mathematical thing, not real at all, and which has some of the characteristics of a cloud -- without a cleanly-definable edge, spread out, varying in density frmo place to place.  The electrons themselves, however, are simple point particles zooming around the nucleus in various complicated paths very difficult (and in some cases impossible) to fully describe.