Consider the radial wavefunction shown below, which approaches infinity as the e

Question

Consider the radial wavefunction shown below, which approaches infinity as the electron approaches the nucleus. Why doesn't the probability of locating the electron at the nucleus become extremely large as well? The electron's momentum can be measured precisely when at the nucleus, so its position is completely unknown. The electron moves at nearly the speed of light, so it is never at the nucleus for an appreciable amount of time. The angular part of the wavefunction reduces the probability of the electron existing at the nucleus. The probability density is weighted by r2, which causes the probability to approach zero as r approaches zero.

Explanation / Answer

c) The solutions for m 1 give us our familiar p x, p y, and p z atomic orbitals.

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