Atomic and Molecular Physics: Diatomic Orbitals Lecture 16 Quiz

Hydrogen Bonding

• The electrostatic force primarily contributes to hydrogen bonding.
• Hydrogen bonds can have a strength of up to 5-10% of a covalent bond.
• Hydrogen bonds can form between molecules that have a hydrogen atom bonded to a highly electronegative atom (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine).

Born-Oppenheimer Approximation

• The Born-Oppenheimer approximation describes the separation of nuclear and electronic motions in a molecule.
• The approximation assumes that the motion of the nuclei is slow compared to the motion of the electrons.
• The Hamiltonian represents the total energy of a molecule system using the Born-Oppenheimer approximation.

Molecule Formation

• The Schrödinger equation describes the behavior of electrons in a molecule.
• The key factor in forming a molecule of H2 is the overlap of atomic orbitals, which leads to a lower energy state.
• The Schrödinger equation for a molecule describes the total energy of the system, including the kinetic energy of the electrons and the potential energy of the electrons and nuclei.

Assumptions and Characteristics

• When solving the Schrödinger equation for molecules with more than one electron, it is assumed that the electrons do not interact with each other.
• The key assumption made when using the Born-Oppenheimer approximation is that the motion of the nuclei is slow compared to the motion of the electrons.
• The Schrödinger equation for the hydrogen molecule ion is characterized by a simple and exact solution.
• An approximate wavefunction describing electronic motions assumes that the nuclei are stationary and do not move during the motion of the electrons.
• For atoms or molecules larger than the hydrogen atom, it is assumed that the Schrödinger equation cannot be solved exactly, and approximations must be made.

Natural Systems

• In natural systems, molecules tend to exhibit a minimum energy state, which is a stable state.