Coulomb Potential and Hydrogen-Like Atoms

Shi‐Hai Dong

Waldemar Wolney Filho

In this work we are presenting a modified Coulomb potential function to describe the interaction between two micro-scopic electric charges. In particular, concerning the interaction between the proton and the electron in the hydrogen atom. The modified potential function is the product of the classical Coulomb potential and an oscillatory function dependent on a quantized phase factor. The oscillatory function picks up only selected points along the Coulomb potential, creating potential wells and barriers around the nucleus of the atom. The new potential reveals us new features of the hydrogen atom. Searching for a manner to determine the phase factor, we are using the concept of the de Broglie particle wavelike behavior and the quantum analogue of the virial theorem for describing the bound motion of a particle in a central force field. This procedure is a kind of feedback action, where we are making use of well established concepts of the quantum mechanics aiming to determine the phase factor of the new interaction potential.

J. W. Zink

Christopher J. Fewster

We re-examine the justification for the imposition of regular boundary conditions on the wavefunction at the Coulomb singularity in the treatment of the hydrogen atom in non-relativistic quantum mechanics. We show that the issue of the correct boundary conditions is not independent of the physical structure of the proton. Under the physically reasonable assumption that the finite size and structure of the proton can be represented as a positive correction to the Coulomb potential, we give a justification for the regular boundary condition, which, in contrast to the usual treatments, is physically motivated and mathematically rigorous. We also describe how irregular boundary conditions can be used to model non-positive corrections to the Coulomb potential.

Ahmad Amer

This chapter presents a detailed analysis of the hydrogen-like atom within the framework of quantum mechanics. The radial Schrödinger equation is solved for the Coulomb potential, yielding the quantized energy spectrum, energy eigenstates, and the associated degeneracy of levels. The expectation value of the electron's radius is calculated, and a comparison is drawn between quantum predictions and classical circular orbits. The quantum two-body problem is introduced to account for the motion of the nucleus, revealing its influence on the energy levels of the electron. This correction underpins the operation of the mass spectrometer and supports the spectroscopic identification of hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium. The analysis also explains how similar effects confirm the presence of helium in the solar spectrum through astrophysical observations. Metadata/Keywords: hydrogen-like atom, Coulomb potential, energy spectrum, quantum orbits, nucleus motion, two-body problem, mass spectrometer, hydrogen isotopes, helium, solar spectrum