Born-Oppenheimer separation: Ψ_tot(r, R) ≈ ψ_e(r; R) χ_N(R)

Layer 2 — Chemistryin the chemical-physics subtree

Born-Oppenheimer approximation (Born & Oppenheimer 1927): the full molecular Schrödinger equation factorises into a fast-electronic / slow-nuclear product, Ψ_tot(r, R) ≈ ψ_e(r; R) χ_N(R), where ψ_e is parametric in the nuclear coordinates…

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Born-Oppenheimer approximation
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