The equation describes the probability waves which govern the motion of sub-atomic particles, "and it specifies how these waves are altered by external influences. Schrödinger established the correctness of the equation by applying it to the [[hydrogen atom]], predicting many of its properties with remarkable accuracy. The equation is used extensively in atomic, nuclear, and [[solid-state physics]]."<ref name="EB-SchrEquation"/>
Although Heisenberg had no problem with the existence of discontinuous quantum jumps, but Schrödinger hoped that a theory based on continuous wave-like properties<ref group="note"> Schrödinger's formulation of quantum mechanics based on waves is sometimes referred to as "wave mechanics", to distinguish it from the [[matrix mechanics]] formulation of Heisenberg, [[Max Born]] and [[Pascual Jordan]].</ref> could avoid what he called (in the reported words of [[Wilhelm Wien]]<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/dp/0521437679 W. Moore, ''Schrödinger: Life and Thought'', Cambridge University Press (1989), p. 222]</ref>) "this nonsense about quantum jumps."
