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Quantum Physics For Dummies, Revised Edition
book

Quantum Physics For Dummies, Revised Edition

by Steve Holzner
January 2013
Beginner to intermediate content levelBeginner to intermediate
336 pages
5h 35m
English
For Dummies
Content preview from Quantum Physics For Dummies, Revised Edition

Chapter 9

Understanding Hydrogen Atoms

In This Chapter

arrow The Schrödinger equation for hydrogen

arrow The radial wave functions

arrow Energy degeneracy

arrow Location of the electron

Not only is hydrogen the most common element in the universe, but it’s also the simplest. And one thing quantum physics is good at is predicting everything about simple atoms. This chapter is all about the hydrogen atom and solving the Schrödinger equation to find the energy levels of the hydrogen atom. For such a small little guy, the hydrogen atom can whip up a lot of math — and I solve that math in this chapter.

Using the Schrödinger equation tells you just about all you need to know about the hydrogen atom, and it’s all based on a single assumption: that the wave function must go to zero as r goes to infinity, which is what makes solving the Schrödinger equation possible. I start by introducing the Schrödinger equation for the hydrogen atom and take you through calculating energy degeneracy and figuring out how far the electron is from the proton.

Coming to Terms: The Schrödinger Equation for the Hydrogen Atom

Hydrogen ...

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Quantum Physics For Dummies, Revised Edition

Quantum Physics For Dummies, Revised Edition

Steven Holzner

Publisher Resources

ISBN: 9781118460863Purchase book