Abstract:
The strength and defects of wave mechanics as a theory of chemistry
are critically examined. Without the secondary assumption of
wave-particle duality, the seminal equation describes matter waves and
leaves the concept of point particles undefined. To bring the formalism
into line with the theory of special relativity, it is shown to require
reformulation in hypercomplex algebra that imparts a new meaning to
electron spin as a holistic spinor, eliminating serious current misconceptions
in the process. Reformulation in the curved space-time of general
relativity requires the recognition of nonlinear effects that invalidate
the practice of linear combination of atomic orbitals, ubiquitous in
quantum chemistry, and redefines the electron as a nondispersive wave
packet, or soliton.
