HATOM

In the Bohr theory of the hydrogen atom the electron is in a circular orbit of radius rb, 4rb, 9rb,..................,
where the radius of the first orbit is 52.92 pm. In the quantum theory the electron is not confined to
particular circular orbits; instead there is a certain probability that the electron will be found between
distance r and r+dr from the nucleus. For the ground state (lowest possible electron energy) this probability
is given by P(r)dr=4rb^(-3)*r^2*exp(-2r/rb)*dr.

(a) For a ground state electron, make a plot of the probability function P versus the distance r of the electron
from the nucleus.

(b) In order to find the most probable electron-nucleus distance r, differentiate P with respect to r and set
equal to zero. How does the most probable value of r compare with the radius rb of the first Bohr orbit? Is
your graph in agreement?

(c) Calculate the probability of finding the electron between r=0 and 2rb .

(d) Find the radius of a sphere which a ground state electron would spend 90% of its time inside

Solution:
> restart;

Part A

Probability function.
> P:=4/(rb^3)*r^2*exp(-2*r/rb);
 r 
 −2 
2  rb 
r e
P := 4
rb3
Substitute rb into P;
> rb=5292*10^(-2);
1323
rb =
25
> P:=subs(rb=1323/25,P);
 50 
 − r 
62500  1323 
P := r2 e
2315685267
Plot graph of P vs r
> plot(P,r=0..250,title=`Probability Function P vs Distance r`);

Page 1
Part B

Find the derivative of P with respect to r.

> der:=diff(P,r);
 50   50 
 − r   − r 
125000  1323  3125000  1323 
der := re − 2
r e
2315685267 3063651608241

Set derivative equal to zero and solve for r.

> sol:=solve(der=0,r);
1323
sol := 0,
25
> evalf(sol);
0, 52.92000000

Part C

Find area under P(r) curve between r=0 and 2*rb.

> rb:=1323/25;
1323
rb :=
25
> Prb:=int(P,r=0..2*rb);
Prb := −13 e( -4 ) + 1
> evalf(Prb); Page 2
 .7618966944

Part D

Find radius of sphere for which there is a 90% probability of finding the electron inside .

> ans:=int(P,r=0..a);
 50   50   50 
 − a   − a   − a 
1250  1323  50  1323   1323 
ans := − 2
a e − ae −e +1
1750329 1323
> fsolve(ans=.9,a);
140.8285961

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