Mike Fontenot
Feb11-06, 06:00 AM
Jon Bell wrote:
> [...] The electron has a momentum probability distribution
> which can be calculated by taking the Fourier transform of the position
> probability amplitude psi(r) to get the momentum probability amplitude
> phi(p), and then calculating phi*(p)phi(p), just as one calculates the
> position probability distribution via psi*(r)psi(r).
Right on! My mistake was in concluding that, in order for the
bound electron to remain in the vicinity of the proton, its
linear momentum must be zero. The correct conclusion would
have been that its AVERAGE linear momentum must be zero.
Mike Fontenot
> [...] The electron has a momentum probability distribution
> which can be calculated by taking the Fourier transform of the position
> probability amplitude psi(r) to get the momentum probability amplitude
> phi(p), and then calculating phi*(p)phi(p), just as one calculates the
> position probability distribution via psi*(r)psi(r).
Right on! My mistake was in concluding that, in order for the
bound electron to remain in the vicinity of the proton, its
linear momentum must be zero. The correct conclusion would
have been that its AVERAGE linear momentum must be zero.
Mike Fontenot