Undergrad Averge orbital distance of electrons

[Iceking20]

TL;DR

Is there anyway to calculate average distance of electrons?

Summary: Is there anyway to calculate average distance of electrons?

I know that we use wave function for orbital to show the probability of finding but my question is there any way to calculate distance between orbitals or energy states?

 

[hutchphd]

One can certainly calculate the expectation value for r₂-r₁

 

[mfb]

One can certainly calculate the expectation value for r₂-r₁

I suggest calculating $(\vec r_2 - \vec r_1)^2$ to make the result more interesting.

 

[hutchphd]

Yes I should have explicitly said all powers thereof to get moments of the distribution...thank you.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I think the point mfb was making is that <r1 - r2> is zero by symmetry.