Quiz -1 Solutions

1. Schrödinger equation for a given potential U  r  has two unknowns, the energy and
the wave function  r  . The wave function has to satisfy the conditions like, it is
continuous, going to zero at infinity, square integrable etc. Under these conditions
only for certain values of E , you get  r  . This is the way, energy is quantized in
Schrodinger’s formulation. In Bohr’s model, quantization comes from l  n . In
Schrödinger’s formulation, quantization comes from the equation itself. For
hydrogen atom, only if E  13.6 eV/n2 you can get   r  which satisfies the
boundary conditions. Hence for E  5 eV , you don’t have any  r  .
2. A quantum state can contain at most one electron. It is either empty or has one
electron. That is Pauli’s Principle which is obeyed by all spin-1/2 particles. In s-
orbitals there are 2 quantum states that is why it can have a maximum of 2
electrons and in p-orbitals there are 6 quantum states and so it can contain a
maximum of 6 electrons. But each quantum state can contain maximum of 1
electron only.
c
3.   r   is continuous everywhere. It does blow to infinity at r  a but that is
r a
not relevant as r is the distance from the origin which cannot be negative (I assume
a to be positive). It is not square integrable.

c2 c2
 d   4 r 2dr
2 2
r  a  0 r  a 

r2 r2
For large value of r ,  1 and hence  will be infinity.
r  a 2 0 r  a 2
4. Ground state of hydrogen atom correspond to l  0 . Hence angular momentum is
zero. So l z is also zero.
1 3
5. All electrons have s  so the S  s s  1  and S z  or  .
2 2 2 2
6. For the wave functions which are solutions of Schrodinger equation, the energy E
is definite. But all positions are possible with different probabilities.
1
7. In ground state of hydrogen atom l  0 . But s  . Hence spin angular momentum
2
and the total angular momentum are not zero.
8. All these phenomena need QM to understand.
9. Any system settles in minimum possible energy. In a hydrogen gas (or any system)
all atoms would like to be in their ground states. If you supply energy they go to
higher states. In general, the higher the energy levels less will be the population. In
lasers, special arrangements are made to have more population in a higher energy
level.
10. s-states are spherically symmetric and have l  0 .