Mathematical Mysteries of the Periodic Table previous next
Why do we need the imaginary number

The wavefunction ψ in Schrödinger's equation has two parts, a "real part" and "imaginary part", because it doesn't really wiggle up and down: it wiggles around and around.

But this is hard to draw! It's easier to draw a wave going up and down.



































































































































Sine and cosine animation by LucasVB. Orbital animation by John Bullock.