Coulomb orbitals and the normalized 1s radial distribution
A nonrelativistic point-Coulomb two-body bound state separates as ψ_nlm=R_nl(r)Y_lm(θ,φ).
Key knowledge
A nonrelativistic point-Coulomb two-body bound state separates as ψ_nlm=R_nl(r)Y_lm(θ,φ). Its radial probability density is r²|R_nl|², not the spatial density at a point. The normalized hydrogenic 1s spatial amplitude is exp(−r/a)/(√π a³ᐟ²); its radial density 4r²exp(−2r/a)/a³ peaks at r=a, whereas its spatial density peaks at r=0.
Values and equations
ψ_nlm=R_nlY_lm; ∫₀∞r²|R_nl|²dr=1; ψ_1s=e^(−r/a)/(√π a³ᐟ²); p_r(r)=4r²e^(−2r/a)/a³
- ψ_nlm,ψ_1s
- Normalized spatial amplitudes m⁻³ᐟ²
- R_nl
- Radial amplitude m⁻³ᐟ²
- Y_lm
- Normalized spherical harmonic
- p_r
- Probability density per radial distance m⁻¹
- r,a
- Relative radius and Coulomb length m
- μ
- Electron–nucleus reduced mass kg
- Z
- Nuclear charge number
- ε₀
- Vacuum permittivity F m⁻¹
- ħ
- Reduced Planck constant J s
- e
- Elementary charge magnitude C
- n,l,m
- Coulomb-state quantum labels
Conditions and scope
- Relative coordinate and reduced mass μ; a=4πε₀ħ²/(μZe²), Z>0. Normalize spherical harmonics over solid angle and the radial density over 0≤r<∞.
- Finite nuclear size, relativistic/radiative/spin corrections and other electrons are excluded; an orbital is a probability amplitude, not an electron trajectory or a nonzero probability at a single point.
Sources · 2
References
Sources retain their recorded scope. A source link alone does not establish verification of every statement.
Evidence and review
Quantum Mechanics (2016): Hydrogen atom: Equations 4.119–4.139: initial reduced-mass Coulomb problem, separated spatial eigenfunctions and radial normalization. Z scaling and the radial-density derivative are explicit derivations in that same point-Coulomb model; source prose about probability at a point is interpreted as density. Quantum Physics III: chapter 2, fine structure: Section 2.1, equations 2.1.11–2.1.12: polynomial/exponential Coulomb radial form and the explicitly normalized hydrogen 1s spatial wavefunction. Reduced-mass/Z scaling is supplied by the separate two-body Coulomb problem, not a precision-atomic prescription.
2026-10-10 · Independent AI editorial review: All 136 unique authored Physics compact statements, all hypotheses and displayed equations/variable/units tables, all 192 Physics-origin semantic links, exact 165 author inspection matrix and mapped retained conceptual claims have been independently read. Three Physics-tagged Measurement realization records are delegated to root Measurement review. Scientific source verification combines exact author section inspection with independent whole compact-content/semantic review and targeted primary rechecks recorded below; it does not claim each full source body was independently reread. Independent AI editorial review is not human specialist certification or experimental replication. Field inventory is approved after independently reviewing the two added source-inspected band-construction methods. Receipt: physics-independent-content-inventory-review.1.
Entry details
Permanent link to this entry ↗- Record identity
- physics-hydrogen-orbital-wavefunctions
- Revision
- university-core.1
- Structured reference record
- University core expansion