May 20, 2024, 03:53:42 PM
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Topic: Finding the probability of an electron being found in a spherical shell  (Read 1959 times)

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Offline NicolasM

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So, we have a hydrogen atom. What is the probability of an electron being found in a spherical shell with 0,01Å width and a radious of 0,35Å?

By approximation, we can sonsider the value of ψ (1s) stable within the shell, and thus the chance is ψ2 x Volume. Right?
Also, by considering 0,35Å the median radious, can I express the probability as 0,3450,355 0 0 ψ2 r2 sineφ dr dφ dθ ? Would that give a more accurate solution?

Online Corribus

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You just need to integrate the radial wavefunction (probability function) over the distances specified.
What men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if he were like a man, but if he is an immense spinning sphere of methane and ammonia must be silent?  - Richard P. Feynman

Offline Enthalpy

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ψ2x Volume approximately : yes.

The integral would be more precise... provided you write it properly. The bounds are false.

You can write the integral more simply from the beginning, since ψ depends only on r. Integrate over r, with a volume element 4πr2*dr
(area of sphere * dr).

Of course, this all supposes that Ψ is properly scaled, with |Ψ|2 summing to 1 over space. And |Ψ|2 because ψ is a complex function.

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