Atoms and Pauli exclusion principle

Quantum physics began to be widely studied by scientists in the 20th century. Discoveries that reveal theories that go beyond the current model of physics, such as wave-particle duality and the Pauli exclusion principle. It explains that in the case of Pauli principle, no two electrons occupy the same quantum state.

In 1925, Austrian theoretical physicist Wolfgang Pauli formulated the principle of understanding and explaining the structure of atoms and subatomic particles; For this reason, it was considered one of the greatest contributions to quantum mechanics.

Since some chaotic behavior of atoms and particles could not be explained by traditional physics, Pauli anticipated the restriction placed on his dignity. With these data, Scientists better understand the stability of matter.

In addition to being considered a fundamental concept in quantum physics, the Pauli exclusion principle is also very important in chemistry. In fact, this was one of the discoveries that created the periodic table as we know it, as it provided an explanation of the electronic structure of atoms.. As a result, it helped regulate the properties of chemical elements.

Pauli’s history with science began with his father, a doctor and professor at the University of Vienna, which sparked his interest in the subject. As a physicist He published widely recognized and prestigious articles by important scientists of the period, including physicist Albert Einstein, with whom he exchanged correspondence.

The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons in an atom can be in the same state or configuration at the same time. Later the exclusion principle was generalized to include the entire class of particles of which the electron is only one member.

What is the Pauli Exclusion Principle?

Pauli realized that no electron in an atom can occupy a state with the same values ​​for the four quantum numbers: primary (n), azimuth or secondary (l), magnetic (ml) and spin (ms). Thus, in January 1925, he announced the principle of Pauli exclusion.

quantum numbers It describes the state of an electron in an atom and is used to understand its properties and position in atomic orbitals..

Atomic orbit is the name given to the region around the atomic nucleus. It is divided into different types according to the azimuth quantum number that determines its shape. This concept helps scientists understand how electrons are distributed around the nucleus and how they interact with each other.

In the Pauli exclusion principle, scientist explains that two or more electrons cannot have the same quantum numbers in the same system. Thus, only two electrons together can occupy the lowest orbit of an atom.

Maybe you are reading all this information and not understanding anything. Calm. I will try to explain it in a simpler way.

Imagine a big house full of rooms, but each room can only accommodate two people. The rule is; These people must be from different countries, so they cannot be from the same place.

Think of an atom’s orbit as one of these quadrants: It can only accommodate two electrons, and just like people must be from different countries, they must have different spin directions to coexist.

“Particles for which the Pauli exclusion principle applies are called fermions; Those that do not comply with this principle are called bosons. In the encyclopedia Britannica, in a closed system such as an atom (for electrons) or a nucleus (for protons and neutrons), fermions are distributed so that only one of them is occupied at a given state.

Perhaps this example does not reflect the true extent of the importance of Pauli’s exclusion principle. But do not be discouraged, because thousands of scientists continue to work on this issue. We will better understand how this principle explains the structure of atoms and how it contributes to other fields of science..

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