Glossary

Reduced mass

Ch 5.2 In a two-body problem, the effective mass $\mu = m_1 m_2/(m_1 + m_2)$ appearing in the relative-coordinate Schrodinger equation. For hydrogen, $\mu = m_e m_p/(m_e + m_p) \approx m_e(1 - m_e/m_p)$. *See also:* Hydrogen atom, Center of mass.

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