Wave function? [ENDORSED]

[Arianna Zhou 1D]

When the wave function is squared, what does it represent? What does the wave function represent normally?

[Angie Sun 2E]

It represents the probability density of finding a particle in a particular region. The wave function alone (not squared) is a math function that shows the varying positions of a particle. Apologies for the confusion in my previous answer - I mixed up the wave definition of the intensity of light with this.

[SophieCacdac_3H]

I'm a bit confused about this too because from looking at my lecture notes it says that the wave function squared represents the probability of finding an electron AND the electron density distribution. So is it both of these as well as the intensity of light?

[Chem_Mod]

I'm a bit confused about this too because from looking at my lecture notes it says that the wave function squared represents the probability of finding an electron AND the electron density distribution. So is it both of these as well as the intensity of light?

You're correct on the part where the wave function squared is the probability of finding an electron, and its distribution. Not sure where the intensity of light came into this.

The intensity of light we think of as the number of photons hitting the metal in the photoelectric effect. Schrodinger's wave equation gives us the orbitals we explore in quantum chemistry.

-Vivek

[Chem_Mod]

I'm a bit confused about this too because from looking at my lecture notes it says that the wave function squared represents the probability of finding an electron AND the electron density distribution. So is it both of these as well as the intensity of light?

You're correct on the part where the wave function squared is the probability of finding an electron, and its distribution. Not sure where the intensity of light came into this.

The intensity of light we think of as the number of photons hitting the metal in the photoelectric effect. Schrodinger's wave equation gives us the orbitals we explore in quantum chemistry.

-Vivek

I checked with Dr. Lavelle. The intensity of light is proportional to the amplitude of the wave model squared. The question asked said it was cubed, not squared, so the answer would be false.
-Vivek