Why is the Schrödinger theory so much simpler to solve for electrons in atoms li

ID: 2305594 • Letter: W

Question

Why is the Schrödinger theory so much simpler to solve for electrons in atoms like H and He+ rather than for Na or even B+?

The strong force and Coulomb force are balanced for small atoms.

Gravity effects each electron of larger atoms, making the approximation of only Coulomb potential grossly inaccurate.

The Schrödinger theory only works for atoms with a single free electron.

The electron in larger atoms interact with each other by Coulomb replusion.

All of the above.

The strong force and Coulomb force are balanced for small atoms.

Gravity effects each electron of larger atoms, making the approximation of only Coulomb potential grossly inaccurate.

The Schrödinger theory only works for atoms with a single free electron.

The electron in larger atoms interact with each other by Coulomb replusion.

All of the above.

Answer:

the Coulomb repulsion terms make it impossible to find an exact solution

to the Schrödinger equation for many-electron atoms and molecules even

if there are only two electrons. The most basic approximations to the exact

solutions involve writing a multi-electron wavefunction as a simple product of

single-electron wavefunctions, and obtaining the energy of the atom in the state

described by that wavefunction as the sum of the energies of the one-electron

components.

SO that ANswer is D.

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