Question

Which of the following is true concerning ψ²? A) ψ² describes the probability of finding an electron in space. B) ψ² describes the exact path of electron motion in an orbital. C) ψ² describes the electronic structure of the atom according to the Bohr model. D) ψ² describes the exact volume of an atom. E) ψ² describes the size of an atom.

Answer 1

A) ψ² describes the probability of finding an electron in space.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger formulated an equation that describes the behavior and energies of submicroscopic particles in general.

The Schrödinger equation incorporates both particle behavior, in terms of mass m, and wave behavior, in terms of a wave function ψ, which depends on the location in space of the system (such as an electron in an atom).

The probability of finding the electron in a certain region in space is proportional to the square of the wave function, ψ². According to wave theory, the intensity of light is proportional to the square of the amplitude of the wave, or ψ². The most likely place to find a photon is where the intensity is greatest, that is, where the value of ψ² is greatest. A similar argument associates ψ² with the likelihood of finding an electron in regions surrounding the nucleus.