Scribd
Upload
21 views3 pages

Exercises 3

exercises for atomic physics

Uploaded by

Jerry Cohen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
21 views3 pages

Exercises 3

exercises for atomic physics

Uploaded by

Jerry Cohen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Exercises PHY141 Physik IV / Moderne Physik II - Series 3

Hand-out: 13.03.2024, Discussion: 20.03.2024

1. Potential in the Helium atom


Consider the electrons in a Helium atom. Assuming the first electron occupies the
1s state, show that the potential for the other electron is given by
 
(Z − 1)e e Z 1
V (r2 ) = − − + e−2Zr2 /a0 . (1)
4πε0 r2 4πε0 a0 r2

To do so, take the following steps:


(a) Motivate why the potential seen by the second electron can be written as
|ψ1s (r1 )|2 3
Z
(Z)e e
V (r2 ) = − + dr (2)
4πε0 r2 4πε0 r12
(b) Show that the distance r12 between the two electrons can be written as
2
r12 = r12 + r22 − 2r1 r2 cos θ, (3)
where r1 and r2 are the distances of electrons 1 and 2 to the nucleus, and cos θ
is the angle between the two vectors ⃗r1 and ⃗r2 . Then, transform the integral
from using cartesian coordinates to using sperical coordinates dr1 dr12 dϕ and
replace the integral over dθ by an integral over dr12 .
(c) When integrating over dr12 instead of dθ, how do the integration boundaries
change? Hint: What are the values r12 takes for θ = 0 and θ = π? How do
they depend on the values of r1 and r2 ?
(d) Perform the integration and show that Eq. (1) holds.
2. Spectroscopy notation
The overall electronic configurations of atoms can be expressed in two different ways.
Let us consider Nitrogen as an example: it has 7 electrons that occupy different
states, shells, as dictated by the Pauli principle. We only need to take into account
un-filled shells to describe the basic chemical properties of an atom. For Nitrogen,
the electrons in the un-filled shell have the state (2p)3 . This notation means three
electrons occupy the 2p state. The letters refer to the angular momentum of the
state, ordered like s, p, d, f, . . . for l = 0, 1, 2, 3, . . . . The number in front of the
letter indicates the main quantum number n = 2. Another way is the so-called
spectroscopy notation, that is given by
2S+1
LJ . (4)

Here, S is the total spin in a given configuration, L is a letter giving the total orbital
angular momentum as described above, and J is the total angular momentum (as
you know, spin can be treated like an angular momentum as well). For this exercise,
let us focus on the hydrogen atom:
(a) For a given main quantum number n, what are the possible values l can take?
(b) For a given quantum number l, give all possible values for the magnetic quan-
tum number due to l, ml .
(c) For a given quantum number s, give all possible values for the magnetic quan-
tum number due to s, ms .
(d) For given quantum numbers s and l, give all possible values for the total angular
momentum quantum number, j.
(e) For a given quantum number j, give all possible values for the magnetic quan-
tum number due to j, mj .
(f) Consider the configuration (2p)1 . Give all possible values for the values of l,
s, j, ml , ms , and mj . Also give the spectroscopy notation for each of these.
Into how many distinct energy levels would each state split if a weak external
magnetic field existed?
(g) Consider the configuration (3d)1 . Give all possible values for the values of l,
s, j, ml , ms , and mj . Also give the spectroscopy notation for each of these.
Into how many distinct energy levels would each state split if a weak external
magnetic field existed?
(h) Consider again the configuration (3d)1 , but this time including the nuclear spin
I of the proton. Which values of I and mI are possible? Which values for F
and mF are possible? Into how many distinct energy levels would each state
split if a weak external magnetic field existed?

3. Pauli principle

(a) Give all possible values for L, S, ml , ms , J, and the sectroscopy notation for
Helium in the 2p3p state.
(b) Which of these states would be forbidden in the 2p2p configuration?

4. Electron shells
Consider multi-electron atoms.

(a) How many electrons can generally occupy a shell of given n, how many can
occupy a sub-shell of given n, l? Justify your answer.
(b) Give the electron configuration of the ground state of chlorine, Cl. Specify the
number of electrons in each shell and sub-shell.
(c) Consider Sodium. Give the electron configuration if the valence electron is in
the 3p state. What are the possible spectroscopic states?
(d) For the above case, how many transitions with ∆n = 0 are possible via ab-
sorption or emission of a photon by the 3p electron if a weak magnetic field
existed? Justify your answer. Hint: Write the possible states of the n = 3
electron using the spectroscopy notation and consider which mj exist for each
of them.
5. Screening and quantum defect
Find the relationship between the screening constant S and the quantum defect of
an alkali atom in the state n, l. What happens for very large n?

You might also like