Hydrogen atom

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A hydrogen atom is an atom of the element hydrogen. It is composed of a single negatively-charged electron, attending a positively-charged proton which is the nucleus of the hydrogen atom. The electron is bound to the proton by the Coulomb force.

Related Topics:
Hydrogen atom - Atom - Hydrogen - Electron - Proton - Nucleus - Coulomb force

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The hydrogen atom has special significance in quantum mechanics as a simple physical system for which an exact solution to the Schrödinger equation exists, from which the experimentally observed frequencies and intensities of the hydrogen spectral lines can be calculated.

Related Topics:
Quantum mechanics - Schrödinger equation - Spectral line

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In 1913, Niels Bohr had deduced the spectral frequencies of the hydrogen atom making several assumptions (see The Bohr Model). The results of Bohr for the frequencies and underlying energy values are confirmed by the full quantum-mechanical analysis which uses the Schrödinger equation, as was shown in 1925/26. The full analysis goes further, because it also yields the shape of the electron's wave function ("orbital") for the different possible quantum-mechanical states. This allows determination of the intensity of spectral lines (which correspond to transitions between these states), among other things. In addition, the full analysis is applicable also to more complicated atoms with more than one electron, as well as molecules etc. However, in all of these cases approximations have to be made and computer calculations are usually necessary.

Related Topics:
Niels Bohr - The Bohr Model - Molecule

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