Question: If we think of an electron as a particle, the function
P(r) = 1 - (2r2 + 2r + 1)e-2r
is the cumulative distribution function of the distance, r, of the electron in a hydrogen atom from the center of the atom. The distance is measured in Bohr radii. (1 Bohr radius = 5.29 × 10-11 m. Niels Bohr (1885-1962) was a Danish physicist.) For example, P(1) = 1 - 5e-2 ≈ 0.32 means that the electron is within 1 Bohr radius from the center of the atom 32% of the time.
(a) Find a formula for the density function of this distribution. Sketch the density function and the cumulative distribution function.
(b) Find the median distance and the mean distance. Near what value of r is an electron most likely to be found?
(c) The Bohr radius is sometimes called the "radius of the hydrogen atom." Why?