Tag: Quantum mechanics
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Bohr’s Original Quantum Theory of Spectra
Regarded as one of the greatest discoveries, Niels Bohr’s original quantum theory of spectra was one of the most revolutionary and successful theory of atomic dynamics. Both Thomson and Rutherford recognized that the electrons must revolve about the nucleus in order to avoid falling into it. They along, with Bohr, realized that according to Maxwell’s…
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Quantum Mechanics vs. Newtonian Mechanics
Though quantum mechanics is a dynamical theory much like Newtonian mechanics, there are key differences between the two. In Newton’s mechanics, the state of a particle at t = 0 is specified by giving its initial position x (0) and velocity v (0) – only two numbers; Quantum mechanics demands an entire wavefunction ψ (x,…
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Einstein Contribution to Planck Formula on the Quantum Nature of Radiation
While the existence of the photoelectric effect can be understood within the framework of classical electromagnetic theory since it was known that there were electrons in metals and one could envisage them to be accelerated by absorption of radiation, the frequency-dependence of the effect is not comprehensible within that framework. The energy carried out by…