Smile, hydrogen atom, you're on quantum camera

摘要

An atom's electrons are an ever-shifting quantum melee, but it turns out you can still take their photograph as if they were standing still. A quantum-style microscope has imaged the hydrogen atom's wave function, the equation that determines its electrons' positions -and in turn the atom's properties. The electrons that dance around an atomic nucleus help determine how the atom bonds with others, but they are notoriously difficult to pin down. Thanks to quantum theory, which says that tiny particles are in multiple places simultaneously, you can never say where a given electron actually is. The best you can do is say how likely it is to be in a given spot.