[Phys-l] animation: scatter plot of atomic orbitals

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

Hi --

I cobbled up a java applet that plots dots on the screen
while you watch, gradually building up a scatter plot that
represents the probability density as a function of position
in an atomic orbital.

  http://www.av8n.com/physics/orbitals.htm#sec-animation

At present, only the 1s, 2s, and 2px orbitals are implemented.

Credit:  I got the general idea -- using an animated scatter 
plot to show the probability density for an atomic orbital --
from a filmstrip made in the 1970s. An oldie but a goodie.

Note that the position variables (x,y,z) are incompatible
with the orbital variables (N,l,m), incompatible in the
Heisenberg sense.  However, if we start with 10,000
identically-prepared atoms, measure each one once, and 
then throw it away, we can form a valid statistical
picture of what positions are associated with a given
orbital.

This allows you to (correctly) visualize an orbital
without (incorrectly) visualizing an "orbit".

I think it's fun to start from nothing and watch the
pattern gradually appear.

Questions / comments / suggestions are welcome.

=======================

If anybody is interested in how the program works 
internally, we can discuss it;  please let me know.
There's a trick to it.