electron behavior - Science Teacher Stuff

Quantum Chemistry in Everyday Life: The Hidden World of Electron Behavior

January 25, 2025

Visualize a scene where a vibrant, swirling array of electron orbitals overlaps with everyday objects like a glowing light bulb, a plant leaf exhibiting chlorophyll's green hue, and a crystalline solar panel, all softly illuminated. The electron clouds should be depicted in luminous shades of blue, green, and purple, contrasting with the solid forms of the objects. The background should transition from a dark, almost cosmic space to a softly lit, slightly abstract representation of a living room, symbolizing the bridge between the quantum and the macroscopic world. The overall style should be illustrative, with a touch of the surreal to emphasize the hidden, quantum nature of the scene. The mood is educational and inspiring, highlighting the hidden forces shaping our reality. Use soft, diffused lighting to create a sense of wonder and discovery.

Over my career in quantum chemistry, I have been enthralled by how tiny quantum events shape the macroscopic world we live in every day. From the colors we perceive to the chemical connections keeping our bodies together, quantum chemistry rules everything. Investigating molecular orbital theory has helped me to understand how quantum physics models events ...

Wave-Particle Duality: The Dual Nature of Light and Matter

November 8, 2024

A surreal, abstract composition depicting the wave-particle duality of light and matter. The image should be a blend of classical and quantum physics elements, perhaps with a diffraction grating casting a colorful spectrum of light on one side, while on the other side, a wave function representing an electron is depicted as a series of probability distributions. Use vibrant, almost psychedelic colors, with a strong contrast between the classical and quantum elements. The overall mood should be one of awe and mystery, reflecting the wonder and complexity of quantum phenomena.

At the core of quantum physics, wave-particle duality shows light and matter as displaying both wave-like and particle-like characteristics. This page walks you through historical tests like the double-slit experiment, which powerfully demonstrate this idea. This idea became concrete for me via personal investigations with light using prisms and diffraction gratings at home. We will ...