The term "harmonic oscillator" is used to describe any system with a "linear" restoring force that tends to return the system to a equilibrium state. There is both a classical harmonic oscillator and a quantum harmonic oscillator. Both are used to as toy problems that describe many physical systems.
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Proof that the One-Dimensional Simple Harmonic Oscillator is Non-Degenerate?
The standard treatment of the one-dimensional quantum simple harmonic oscillator (SHO) using the raising and lowering operators arrives at the countable basis of eigenstates $\{\vert n \rangle\}_{n = ...
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Explanation: Simple Harmonic Motion
I am Math Grad student with a little bit of interest in physics. Recently i looked into the wikipedia page for Simple Harmonic Motion.
Guess, I am too bad at physics to understand it. Considering me ...
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1answer
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3D Quantum harmonic oscillator
For an isotropic 3D QHO in a potential $V(x,y,z)={1\over 2}m\omega^2(x^2+y^2+z^2)$. I can see by independence of the potential in the $x,y,z$ coordinates that the solution to the Schrodinger equation ...
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What affects the damping of a spring?
What variables affect the damping of a spring executing simple harmonic motion?
What are the independent variables, and what variables would need to be controlled in an experiment?
I'm attempting to ...
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1answer
577 views
Why don't tuning forks have three prongs?
I was reading Why tuning forks have two prongs?. The top answer said the reason was to reduce oscillation through the hand holding the other prong.
So if having 2 prongs will reduce oscillation loss, ...
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2answers
405 views
What's a good reference for this classical picture Feynman's talking about?
I have a mathematics background but am trying to educate myself a little about physics. At the beginning of Feynman's QED book (not the popular one) is the following:
Suppose all of the atoms in ...
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1answer
616 views
Evolution operator for time-dependent Hamiltonian
When i studyed QM I'm only working with non time-dependent Hamiltonians. In this case unitary evolution operator has the form $$\hat{U}=e^{-\frac{i}{\hbar}Ht}$$ that follows from this equation
$$
...
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1answer
176 views
Finding coefficient of proportionality
Recently in my AP Physics class I did a lab in which I measured k for a spring by setting up an oscillating system with it, and timing the period, repeating for different masses. Since ...
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1answer
135 views
Schrödinger equation for a harmonic oscillator
I have came across this equation for quantum harmonic oscillator
$$
W \psi = - \frac{\hbar^2}{2m}\frac{d^2\psi}{dx^2} + \frac{1}{2} m \omega^2 x^2 \psi
$$
which is often remodelled by defining a new ...
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Frequency with the spring scale [closed]
Grocery stores often have spring scales in their produce department to weigh fruits and vegetables.
The pan of one particular scale has a mass of $0.5 kg$, and when you place a $0.5 kg$ sack of ...
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3answers
767 views
How to derive the period of spring pendulum?
So I wanted to find out how to (simply, if that's possible) derive the formula for a period of spring pendulum: $T=2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}$. However, Google doesn't help me here as all I see is the ...
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Investigating damped Harmonic Motion in a Spring?
I'm going to conduct an investigation into the dampening of a spring.
Essentially, what specific factors could be investigated? Currently I'm planning to investigate the effect of changing the mass ...
