Microwave and Wireless Communications Technology

Quantum Mechanical Description of Electrons

37

1 2 3 4

N=

9 -----.--,]I=- v

1 2 3 4 10

5 6 7 8 g 10

10

g

8

7

j 6

J

j 5

J

4

, 3

. 2

, ~........~4 N = I-...~P "''"''~-'''''~ 1

5 6 7 8 9

Figure 3-5

Permitted values of electron energy.

diation given off by a black body (such as a lump of iron) when it is heated. The

theories that scientists believed at that time did not fit the experimental data. But

Planck demonstrated that the equations worked well if he allowed only certain dis-

crete amounts of energy. These discrete energy levels are defined by

U = nh

(3-29)

where

U = energy in ergs

h = Planck's constant ...