CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE IN EUROPE 2001, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 203-213	SPECIAL SECTION: Structural concepts Contribution from science education and history of science (REVIEWED PAPER)

Georgios TSAPARLIS
University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry

TOWARDS A MEANINGFUL INTRODUCTION TO THE SCHROEDINGER EQUATION THROUGH HISTORICAL AND HEURISTIC APPROACHES

ABSTRACT: The Schroedinger equation is the foundation of quantum mechanics and the starting point for any improvement to the description of submicroscopic physical and chemical systems. Although it cannot be proved or derived strictly, it has associated with it various formulations and 'derivations'. In this work, we study the physical and mathematical evidence that make the Schroedinger equation plausible. First, we make an approach from the historical perspective, and study the methods of the pioneers Schroedinger, Heisenberg, and Dirac. Turning to modern treatments, we review numerous heuristic introductions to quantum mechanics and make a synthesis of the various methods into a coherent and meaningful whole. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2001, 2, 203-213]

KEY WORDS: Schroedinger equation; wave mechanics; quantum mechanics; matrix mechanics; history of quantum mechanics; relativistic quantum mechanics; quantum chemistry

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