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In developing the quantum theory, there were three main scientists who contributed their knowledge: Louis De Broglie, Werner Heisenberg, and Erwin Schrodinger.
First was Louis de Broglie (1892-1987), who believed that Bohr's quantized electron orbits had characteristics similar to those of waves. He knew that if an electron has wave-like motion and is restricted to circular orbits of fixed radius. He realized that the electron is only allowed specific possible wavelengths, frequencies, and energies. He derived the de Broglie equation that solves for the wevelenth of a particle of mass moving at a velocity.
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| Louis de Broglie |
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| Werner Heisenberg |
Next was Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976), who concluded that it is impossible to make any measurement on an object without disturbing the object even if it is a very slight disturbance. The act of observing the electron produces a significant, unavoidable uncertainty in the position and motion of the electrons. He devised the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. This principle states that it is fundamentally impossible to know precisely both the velocity and position of a particle at the same time.
Following Heisenberg was Austrian Physicist Erwin Schrodinger (1887-1961). He derived a very complex equation that treated the hydrogen atoms electron as a wave called the Schrodinger wave equation. His model for an atom of hydrogen applied equally well to atoms of other elements, which Bohr's atomic model didn't do. Each solution to Schrodinger's wave equation is known as a wave function. The wave function is related to the probability of the location of an electron in a particular space around the nucleus.
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| Erwin Schrodinger |
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