Lecture 2: Atoms and quantum mechanics, a gentle introduction

Further reading

• There are a couple of very good web-sites out there. Physics 2000: Science Trek http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/science_trek.html has an excellent introduction to the quantum atom, including interactive applets which let you play with spectral lines, the periodic table, etc. The discussion of how electrons are arranged in atoms is particularly good (starts at http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/elements_as_atoms/index.html).
• There's a little program which shows you the spectrum for any element at http://jersey.uoregon.edu/elements/Elements.html
• A good site for the nucleus in particular is "Guide to the Nuclear Wallchart" at http://www.lbl.gov/abc/wallchart/guide.html
• The "Standard Model" of particle physics is summarised at http://particleadventure.org/particleadventure/frameless/chart.html

Sources for images used:

• Young's double slit experiment: from Wikipedia: Double-slit experiment http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment
• Photoelectric effect: from "The Quantised World: Waves or particles?" http://nobelprize.org/physics/educational/quantised_world/waves-particles-1.html; and "Science and Technology", June 2005, "Shedding Light on Quantum Physics", http://www.llnl.gov/str/June05/Aufderheide.html
• Wavelength scales: from IPAC's "Infrared Astronomy" page, http://sirtf.caltech.edu/EPO/Field/emspec.html
• Electron double slit experiment: from Hitachi Research & Development: Double slit experiment http://www.hqrd.hitachi.co.jp/em/doubleslit.cfm
• "Use both exits": from The Double-Slit Garage Experiment http://improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume7/v7i6/doubleslit.html
• Nucleus: from "Chemistry" by McMurry & Fay, http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/602/616516/Chapter_02.html
• Atomic number and mass number: from ABCs of Nuclear Science, http://www.lbl.gov/abc/Basic.html
• Nuclide chart: from Subatomic research in Lund http://fys246.kosufy.lu.se/topics.asp
• Island of stability: from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_stability
• Nuclear binding energy: from Teachers' Instructional Graphics Educational Resource : Chemistry http://www.dlt.ncssm.edu/TIGER/chem2.htm
• Uranium-235 decay: from "Energy from Nuclear Fission" by Jim Doyle http://www.btinternet.com/~j.doyle/SR/Emc2/Fission.htm
• A star spectrum: from "The FAST Stellar Spectral Atlas" by Perry Berlind, http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/~pberlind/atlas/atframes.html
• Horsehead nebula: from the NOAO Image Gallery, image by T.A.Rector (NOAO/AURA/NSF) and Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA/NASA), http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/html/im0661.html
• Spectra of different elements: from University of Oregon Physics Applets http://jersey.uoregon.edu/elements/Elements.html
• Atomic orbitals: from http://www.physto.se/~larsa/Larsas%20LicThesis.html
• Ionisation energy: from "Chemistry" by McMurry and Fay, Fig. 6.3, http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/602/616516/Chapter_06.html

Last updated 3 November 2016