In quantum mechanics, a complex function extending over the configuration spac e of a system; its complex conjugate yields the probability density function, and other mathematical operations yield other physical quantities.
A mathematical equation that describes orbitals in which electrons reside.
a function of the coordinates of an electron's position in three-dimensional space that describes the properties of the electron
a solution to the Schrödinger equation containing all the information that can be known about the particle the function describes (see equation 28.4)
a mathematical function related to the physical properties of a given quantum system
a way of quantifying these probability statements
(a) The mathematical object in quantum theory which determines probabilities of different results of experiments. It is a complex quantity, so it has an amplitude (whose square gives the probability) and a phase-angle. The phase-angle has no direct physical interpretation, but is important in interference effects, where two wave-functions are added together. [D89] (b) The mathematical description of a physical system according to the laws of quantum mechanics. The wave function tells what possible states the physical system could be in and what is the probability of being in any particular state at any given moment. [LB90](c) A mathematical function that describes the wave-mechanical state of a system (atomic or nuclear). In a one-electron atom, it yields the likelihood that the electron will be found in the neighborhood of that point (per unit volume). This interpretation can be generalized to more complicated systems. [H76
A wave function (also called Schrodinger's Equation) is a differential equation in quantum theory that mathematically describes probability density of an object in space and time.