Separability assumption

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-013546",
  "term": "Separability assumption",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A simplifying assumption in chemical kinetics and quantum mechanics where different modes of motion or degrees of freedom are considered independent of each other. This allows the total energy or wavefunction of a system to be expressed as a sum or product of individual components. For example, in molecular spectroscopy, electronic, vibrational, and rotational energies are often treated as separable.",
  "subject": "Physical and Biophysical Chemistry",
  "see_also": [
    "degrees of freedom",
    "dividing surface",
    "potential-energy surface",
    "transition state theory"
  ],
  "references": [
    "PAC, 1996, 68, 149. 'A glossary of terms used in chemical kinetics, including reaction dynamics (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 186 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668010149)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/separability-assumption/"
}