wavefunctionvalue
nounThe number that tells you how likely it is to find a tiny particle in a certain spot.
The wavefunction value at that point was very small, so the electron was unlikely to be found there.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The numerical result of evaluating a mathematical wavefunction at a given point in space and time.
Computing the wavefunction value at each grid point let the simulation map the particle's likely locations.
3. A complex number whose squared magnitude gives the probability density for a measurement outcome.
The wavefunction value was complex, so the team squared its magnitude to get a real probability.
4. In quantum chemistry, the amplitude assigned to an electron configuration or basis state.
The wavefunction value for that configuration was nearly zero, meaning it contributed little to the molecule's ground state.