Hamiltonians, non-interacting hydrogenic systems, spin correction. Help

In summary, the conversation discusses the correction term needed for the energy of a ground state hydrogenic Helium nucleus, which is found to be -0.85Ry due to exchange energy between the two electrons in the atom. The total ground state energy of Helium is therefore -8.85Ry.
  • #1
ScotchDave
26
0
Eyoop gents, just looking for a wee bit of help with a correction term in the energy of a ground state hydrogenic Helium nucleus. I tried searching, but I didn't find what I needed.

Non-interacting hamiltonian for two hydrogenic atom is
[tex]\hat{H}_{0} = -\frac{\hbar^{2}}{2m}\left(\nabla^{2}_{1} + \nabla^{2}_{2}\right) - \frac{Ze^{2}}{4\pi\epsilon_{0}}\left(\frac{1}{r_{1}} + \frac{1}{r_{2}}\right)[/tex]

The overall Hamiltonian is

[tex]\hat{H} = \hat{H_{0}} + V[/tex]

Where
[tex]V = \frac{e^{2}}{4\pi\epsilon_{0}r_{1 2}}[/tex]

Z = 2 for He nucleus.

The ground state of [tex]\hat{H_{0}}[/tex] is the product wavefunction [tex]\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{1}}\right)\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{2}}\right)[/tex]

[tex]E_{n} = -\frac{Z^{2}}{n^{2}}Ry[/tex]

The first part asks what the corresponding energy is.

That's given by [tex]\hat{H}\Psi_{100} = E_{1}}\Psi_{100} [/tex]

For no interaction [tex]\hat{H_{0}}\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{1}}\right)\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{2}}\right) = \hat{H}\left(\vec{r_{1}}\right)}\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{1}}\right)\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{2}}\right) + \hat{H}\left(\vec{r_{2}}\right)}\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{1}}\right)\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{2}}\right)

= 2E_{1}\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{1}}\right)\Psi_{100}\left(\vec{r_{2}}\right)[/tex]

[tex]2E_{1} = -2Z^{2}Ry = -8Ry[/tex]

"What is the ground state when spin is included?"

I know it should be of the form of [tex]2E_{1} = -2Z^{2}Ry + correction term= -8Ry + correction[/tex], but I can't for the life of me find the term. Help what is it?
 
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  • #2
The correction term is due to the exchange energy between the two electrons in the He atom and is given by -0.85Ry. So the total ground state energy of He atom is -8.85Ry.
 

FAQ: Hamiltonians, non-interacting hydrogenic systems, spin correction. Help

What is a Hamiltonian in physics?

A Hamiltonian is a mathematical operator that describes the total energy of a system in terms of its position and momentum. It is a fundamental concept in classical mechanics and quantum mechanics.

What is a non-interacting hydrogenic system?

A non-interacting hydrogenic system is a physical system made up of a single hydrogen atom or ion, in which the electron and nucleus do not interact with each other. This can be described using the Schrödinger equation and the solutions are known as hydrogenic wavefunctions.

What is spin correction in quantum mechanics?

Spin correction is a term used to describe the mathematical adjustment made to the Hamiltonian operator to account for the intrinsic spin of particles. In quantum mechanics, particles can have either spin up or spin down states, and the Hamiltonian must take this into account for accurate predictions.

Why is understanding Hamiltonians important?

Hamiltonians are essential for describing the behavior of physical systems, from the microscopic level of particles to the macroscopic level of large objects. They allow us to make predictions about the behavior of systems and can be used to study a wide range of phenomena.

How are Hamiltonians used in chemistry?

In chemistry, Hamiltonians are used to describe the behavior of atoms and molecules. They help us understand and predict the energy levels, bonding, and reactivity of these systems. They are also used in computational chemistry to model and simulate chemical reactions.

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