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Atomic Hydrogen redirects here. For the method of welding, see Atomic Hydrogen Welding .
radius. (Image not to scale)]] A hydrogen atom is an atom of the chemical element Hydrogen . It is composed of a single negatively-charged Electron circling a single positively-charged Nucleus of the hydrogen atom. The nucleus of hydrogen consists of only a single proton (in the case of hydrogen-1 or protium; see box at right), ''or'' it may also include one or more neutrons (giving Deuterium , Tritium , and other isotopes). The electron is bound to the nucleus by the Coulomb Force . The hydrogen atom has special significance in Quantum Mechanics and quantum field theory as a simple Two-body Problem physical system which has yielded many simple Analytical solutions in closed-form. In 1913, Niels Bohr obtained the spectral frequencies of the hydrogen atom after making a number of simplifying assumptions. These assumptions were not fully correct, but did yield the correct energy answers (see The Bohr Model ). The results of Bohr for the frequencies and underlying energy values were confirmed by the full quantum-mechanical analysis which uses the Schrödinger equation, as was shown in 1925/26. The solution to the Schrödinger Equation for hydrogen is Analytical . From this solution, the hydrogen Energy Levels and thus the frequencies of the hydrogen Spectral Line s can be calculated. The solution of the Schrödinger equation goes much further than the Bohr model however, because it also yields the shape of the electron's wave function ("orbital") for the various possible quantum-mechanical states-- thus explaining the Anisotropic character of atomic bonds. The Schrödinger equation also applies to more complicated atoms and Molecule s, however, in most such cases the solution is not analytical and either computer calculations are necessary, or else simplifying assumptions must be made. SOLUTION OF SCHRöDINGER EQUATION: OVERVIEW OF RESULTS The solution of the Schrödinger equation for the hydrogen atom uses the fact that the of the Hamiltonian (= energy eigenstates) can be chosen as simultaneous eigenstates of the Angular Momentum Operator . This corresponds to the fact that angular momentum is conserved in the Orbital Motion of the electron around the nucleus. Therefore, the energy eigenstates may be classified by two angular momentum Quantum Number s, ''l'' and ''m'' (integer numbers). The "angular momentum" quantum number ''l'' = 0, 1, 2, ... determines the magnitude of the angular momentum. The "magnetic" quantum number ''m'' = −''l'', .., +''l'' determines the projection of the angular momentum on the (arbitrarily chosen) ''z''-axis. In addition to mathematical expressions for total angular momentum and angular momentum projection of wavefunctions, an expression for the radial dependence of the wave functions must be found. It is only here that the details of the 1/''r'' Coulomb potential enter (leading to Laguerre Polynomials in ''r''). This leads to a third quantum number, the principal quantum number ''n'' = 1, 2, 3, ... The principal quantum number in hydrogen is related to atom's total energy. Note that the maximum value of the angular momentum quantum number is limited by the principal quantum number: it can run only up to ''n'' − 1, i.e. ''l'' = 0, 1, ..., ''n'' − 1. Due to angular momentum conservation, states of the same ''l'' but different ''m'' have the same energy (this holds for all problems with Rotational Symmetry ). In addition, for the hydrogen atom, states of the same n but different l are also Degenerate (i.e. they have the same energy). However, this is a specific property of hydrogen and is no longer true for more complicated atoms which have a (effective) potential differing from the form 1/''r'' (due to the presence of the inner electrons shielding the nucleus potential). Taking into account the Spin of the electron adds a last quantum number, the projection of the electron's spin angular momentum along the z axis, which can take on two values. Therefore, any Eigenstate of the electron in the hydrogen atom is described fully by four quantum numbers. According to the usual rules of quantum mechanics, the actual state of the electron may be any Superposition of these states. This explains also why the choice of z-axis for the directional Quantization of the angular momentum vector is immaterial: An orbital of given ''l'' and m' obtained for another preferred axis z' can always be represented as a suitable superposition of the various states of different ''m'' (but same ''l'') that have been obtained for ''z''. MATHEMATICAL SUMMARY OF EIGENSTATES OF HYDROGEN ATOM See Also: hydrogen-like atom Energy levels The energy levels of hydrogen, including Fine Structure are given by :: :where :: is the Fine-structure Constant ::''j'' is an integer which is the angular momentum eigenvalue The value of -13.6 eV can be found from the simple Bohr Model , and is related to the mass, ''m'', and charge of the electron, ''q'': :: It is even more elegantly connected to fine-structure constant: :: Wavefunction The normalized position Wavefunction s, given in Spherical Coordinates are:
: is the Bohr Radius . : are the Generalized Laguerre Polynomials of degree ''n-l-1''. : is a Spherical Harmonic . Angular momentum The Eigenvalue s for Angular Momentum Operator : | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| : <math> L Z N, L, M Ang | \hbar m n, l, m
ang </math> |
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| {{Isotopeelement | Hydrogen |
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