Wave functions, atomic vibrational

If any atoms have nuclear spin this part of the total wave function can be factorized and the energy treated additively. ft is for these reasons that we can treat electronic, vibrational, rotational and NMR spectroscopy separately. 

However, because of the avoided crossing of the potential energy curves the wave functions of Vq and Fi are mixed, very strongly at r = 6.93 A and less strongly on either side. Consequently, when the wave packet reaches the high r limit of the vibrational level there is a chance that the wave function will take on sufficient of the character of Na + 1 that neutral sodium (or iodine) atoms may be detected. 

The wave function of an electron corresponds to the expression used to describe the amplitude of a vibrating chord as a function of the position x. The opposite direction of the motion of the chord on the two sides of a vibrational node is expressed by opposite signs of the wave function. Similarly, the wave function of an electron has opposite signs on the two sides of a nodal surface. The wave function is a function of the site x, y, z, referred to a coordinate system that has its origin in the center of the atomic nucleus. 

We have already seen (p. 2) that the individual electrons of an atom can be symbolised by wave functions, and some physical analogy can be drawn between the behaviour of such a wave-like electron and the standing waves that can be generated in a string fastened at both ends—the electron in a (one-dimensional) box analogy. The first three possible modes of vibration will thus be (Fig. 12.1) ... 

The modulation of the charge of the adsorbed atom by the vibrations of heavy particles leads to a number of additional effects. In particular, it changes the electron and vibrational wave functions and the electrostatic energy of the adatom. These effects may also influence the transition probability and its dependence on the electrode potential. 

We can compute from first principles all possible vibrational modes for 3iA oscillators in the cell unit, solving the Schrodinger equation with appropriate atomic (and/or molecular) wave functions. 

Several other molecular orbital models have been applied to the analysis of VCD spectra, primarily using CNDO wave functions. The nonlocalized molecular orbital model (NMO) is the MO analog of the charge flow models, based on atomic contributions to the dipole moment derivative (38). Currents are restricted to lie along bonds. An additional electronic term is introduced in the MO model that corresponds to s-p rehybridization effects during vibrational motion. 

In order to apply group-theoretical descriptions of symmetry, it is necessary to determine what restrictions the symmetry of an atom or molecule imposes on its physical properties. For example, how are the symmetries of normal modes of vibration of a molecule related to, and derivable from, the full molecular symmetry How are the shapes of electronic wave functions of atoms and molecules related to, and derivable from, the symmetry of the nuclear framework ... 

While Eq. (9.49) has a well-defined potential energy function, it is quite difficult to solve in the indicated coordinates. However, by a clever transfonnation into a unique set of mass-dependent spatial coordinates q, it is possible to separate the 3 Ai-dirncnsional Eq. (9.49) into 3N one-dimensional Schrodinger equations. These equations are identical to Eq. (9.46) in form, but have force constants and reduced masses that are defined by the action of the transformation process on the original coordinates. Each component of q corresponding to a molecular vibration is referred to as a normal mode for the system, and with each component there is an associated set of harmonic oscillator wave functions and eigenvalues that can be written entirely in terms of square roots of the force constants found in the Hessian matrix and the atomic masses. 

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