Question

a) Describe the Schrödinger model for the atom. What experimental evidence led to this formulation? b)Schrödinger solved the wave function for the electron. What does this wave function represent? Who was the first to give this interpretation? c) If we locate the electron, what happens to the wave function? (2pts)

Answer 1

a) Schrodinger proposed the quantum mechanical model of the atom, which treats electrons as matter waves. It predicted that electrons has spins which was confirmed by Stern-Gerlach experiment.

b) The wave function is associated with the binding energy of the electron. The square of the wave function represents the probability of finding an electron in a given region within an atom.Wave nature of every matter was first interpreted by De Broglie

c) The Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that we can not know both the energy and position of an electron simultaneously. If we determine the location its wave function would collapse and we cannot predict its momentum or energy then.