The Normal State of the Hydrogen Molecule

• Main Author: Weinbaum, Sidney
• Format: Others
• Published: 1933
• Online Access: https://thesis.library.caltech.edu/10084/1/Weinbaum_S_1933.pdf; Weinbaum, Sidney (1933) The Normal State of the Hydrogen Molecule. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/7F3Y-W244. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:03012017-110633470 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:03012017-110633470>

<p>A simple wave function for the normal state of the hydrogen molecule, taking into account both the atomic and ionic configurations, was set up and treated by a variational method. The dissociation energy was found to be 4.00 v.e. as compared to the experimental value of 4.68 v.e. and Rosen's value of 4.02 v.e. obtained by use of a function involving complicated integrals. It was found that the atomic function occurs with a factor 3.9 times that of the ionic function.</p> <p>A similar function with different screening constants for the atomic and ionic parts was also tried. It was found that the best results are obtained v1hen these screening constants are equal.</p> <p>The addition of Rosen's term to the atomic-ionic function resulted in a value of 4.10 v.e. for the dissociation energy.</p>