Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
Published on: April 12, 2019
A comparison model between density functional and wave function theories by means of the Löwdin partitioning
Marc Caballero1, Ibério de P R Moreira, Josep Maria Bofill
1Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional, Universitat de Barcelona, IQTCUB, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract:
A comparison model is proposed based on the Löwdin partitioning technique to analyze the differences in the treatment of electron correlation by the wave function and density functional models. This comparison model provides a tool to understand the inherent structure of both theories and its discrepancies in terms of the subjacent mathematical structure and the necessary conditions for variationality required for the energy functional. Some numerical results on simple molecules are also reported revealing the known phenomenon of "overcorrelation" of density functional theory methods.
Related Concept Videos
The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom
The de Broglie Wavelength
Graphing the Wave Function
Molecular Orbital Theory I
MO Theory and Covalent Bonding
Extraction: Partition and Distribution Coefficients
For extracting a solute from an aqueous phase into an organic...

