and then determine the correct form for the Hamiltonian operator. We will assume that the nucleus
remains stationary with the electron revolving around it (known as the Born-Oppenheimer approxi-
mation) and deal with only the motion of the electron. The electron has a kinetic energy of (1/2) mv 2 ,
which can be written as p 2 /2 m . Equation (2.34) shows the operator for kinetic energy.
The interaction between an electron and a nucleus in a hydrogen atom gives rise to a potential energy
that can be described by the relationship e 2 / r . Therefore, using the Hamiltonian operator and postu-
late IV, the wave equation can be written as