How are the solutions to the Morse potential similar to the harmonic oscillator
ID: 3162996 • Letter: H
Question
How are the solutions to the Morse potential similar to the harmonic oscillator wave functions?What is the physical significance of how the average separation changes as you go up in energy?
More from a chemistry perspective please! How are the solutions to the Morse potential similar to the harmonic oscillator wave functions?
What is the physical significance of how the average separation changes as you go up in energy?
More from a chemistry perspective please!
What is the physical significance of how the average separation changes as you go up in energy?
More from a chemistry perspective please!
Explanation / Answer
The Morse potential has solutions (eigenstates) similar to the harmonic oscillator is because the Morse potential acting within a diatomic molecule is similar to the vibrations of a harmonic oscillator. The progression of allowed energies for the harmonic oscillator is in even intervals. They progress in the odd multiples of the zero-point energy. But the allowed energies for a Morse potential are not in regular intervals. They progress upwards in smaller and smaller intervals. Additionally, the difference between the Morse potential and the Harmonic Oscillator is greater for each successive value. For example, the lowest possible energy for Morse is 97.9 % of the lowest energy for a harmonic oscillator while the second is 93.8%.
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