A simple explanation of Pauli's principle was first given with the wave mechanics. Its interpretation in the new theory was that the wave functions of Schrödinger were antisymmetrical in all the electrons concerned. Thus when the interactions of the electrons may be neglected, the wave function (for a system of n electrons) can never be of the form

in nature, but only of the form

Hence σ, τ,…ω must be all distinct.