A helium atom is an atom of the chemical element helium. Helium is composed of two electrons bound by the electromagnetic force to a nucleus containing two protons along with either one or two neutrons, depending on the isotope, held together by the strong force. Unlike for hydrogen, a closed-form solution to the Schrödinger equation for the helium atom has not been found. However, various approximations, such as the Hartree-Fock method, can be used to estimate the ground state energy and wavefunction of the atom.
Read more about Helium Atom: Introduction, Hartree-Fock Method, Thomas–Fermi Method, The Variational Method, See Also
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“Let us build altars to the Blessed Unity which holds nature and souls in perfect solution, and compels every atom to serve an universal end.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)