Some Characteristics of Approximate Wave Functions Anthony F. Fucaloro Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA 9171 1
Quantum mechanical calculations of complex many-bodied svstems often emnlov annroximate methods because of the difficulty in solving the-~chroedingerequation exactly. Undergraduate textbooks of nhvsical chemistrv normallv treat these approximate methdds~qualitativelybecause the; require a mathematical sophistication beyond that of the student. This makes it difficult for the student to appreciate the difference between eigenfunctions (exact wave functions) derived from exact solutions of the Schroedineer " equation and approximate wave functions generated using an~roximateauantum mechanical technioues. I t is sueeestehberein that'a rigorous set of ca~culatiodsbe done
