Schrodinger Equation [ENDORSED]

[Katarina Ho -1B]

I am a little confused about the application to this equation. Is it only used for Hyrogen atoms? or can it be applied to all atoms?

[Chem_Mod]

It can be applied to any atom and any system. The orbitals we are familiar with are the solutions when we apply it to hydrogen.

If it is written as , then is called an operator (like in calculus) and depends on the specific system we are examining. If it is hydrogen, when we solve it we get different functions which look like the orbitals, and different values of , which are the corresponding energies of the orbitals. For hydrogen, we know that . We got this equation for by solving the Schrodinger equation!

[Bree Perkins 1E]

What does the equation mean in this instance. I guess I am confused on what we use the Schrodinger Equation for?

[Ellie Tsang 1I]

En is the energy at some orbital, n.

[Chem_Mod]

The Schroedinger equation is used to derive solutions to quantum mechanical systems. For example, the orbital functions for the hydrogen atom were generated from solutions to the equation. Particle-in-a-box is another system that can be modeled using the equation.

[Aryana Nazem 1A]

Does anyone know if this equation will be fair game for our midterm? Also will we just have to know what it means conceptually or will we have to actually need to use it?

[Jacy Black 1C]

I understand that Schrodinger's equation gives a solution of the wave function which describes orbitals. But how? I'm unsure what the notation itself for the equation means, and how I would describe this system or answer a test question using it.

[Chem_Mod]

You will be responsible for a conceptual understanding of the equation, similar to the explanations above. However, you will not be expected to use the equation itself on an exam.

[Elana Weingord 1C]

This can be applied to all atoms, not just Hydrogen atoms