Scientists at NIST and Indiana University have made the most accurate predictions ever for a fundamental property of lithium using a new quantum mechanics approach. Their method could allow similar predictions for other atoms in the periodic table.
The researchers calculated four excitation energies for lithium, which is the amount needed to raise an atom from its base energy level to the next higher one. This is valuable for understanding atomic behavior, but their improved method has broader implications.
The team overcame major computational and conceptual challenges that previously prevented scientists from using quantum mechanics to predict electron excitation energies from first principles. Their approach could eventually enable accurate predictions for all elements in the periodic table.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2010/01/theorists-close-improved-atomic-property-predictions
Keywords: Excitation, Lithium, Electron, Precision, Calculation
