In article , .@. says...
Ok - now lets explain again how the P orbital's probability envelope
is a figure 8 shape, rotated about its long axis, with a zero
probability
at the nucleus, the pinch point of the figure 8. A hyrdrogen atom
has only one electron, which means it cannot be in both parts of the
figure 8 since it would have to pass through the nucleus to do so.
That is theoretically impossible. So . . .?

Hydrogen atoms have no P orbital. Only 1S orbital which is not figure 8
shaped.

What about excited hydrogen (all set to emit a Lyman Alpha photon?) Or
is the presence of a full S orbital (two electrons in the lowest energy
state) necessary to produce the P orbitals in the first place? It's
been over 30 years, lots of details are gone... :-(

In answer to the original question, it is common in qm to have multiple
disjoint places where something can exist while being prohibited from
being in between. For example, see the double slit experiments,
described in any introductory quantum mechanics book. The electron
is behaving like a wave and doesn't have a well defined location, just
a probability of being in one of the lobes. (And a zero probability of
being in the nucleus, since the lobes collapse to a point there.)

But like I said, its been over 30 years since I studied quantum
mechanics, so I could have this all wrong. "But", to quote Adrian Monk,
"I don't think so."

--
John