A complex scalar field that describes a quantum mechanical system. The square of the modulus of the wave function gives the probability of the system to be found in a particular state.
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9answers
4k views
About the complex nature of the wave function?
1.
Why is the wave function complex? I've collected some layman explanations but they are incomplete and unsatisfactory. However in the book by Merzbacher in the initial few pages he provides an ...
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1answer
318 views
Schrödinger function: Separable wave function with even potential function of x
I have done the Problem 2.1 in Griffiths' quantum mechanics,
and it seems not making sense to me.
What if the wave function isn't symmetric at all?
Then obviously the proof doesn't work. The ...
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3answers
998 views
What is the relation between position and momentum wavefunctions in quantum physics?
I have read in a couple of places that $\psi(p)$ and $\psi(q)$ are Fourier transforms of one another (e.g. Penrose). But isn't a Fourier transform simply a decomposition of a function into a sum or ...
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2answers
791 views
Speed of a particle in quantum mechanics: phase velocity vs. group velocity
Given that one usually defines two different velocities for a wave, these being the phase velocity and the group velocity, I was asking their meaning for the associated particle in quantum mechanics.
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6
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7answers
454 views
Is it wrong to talk about wave functions of macroscopic bodies?
Does a real macroscopic body, like table, human or a cup permits description as a wave function? When is it possible and when not?
For example in the "Statistical Physics, Part I" by Landau & ...
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3answers
398 views
Is the wave function objective or subjective?
Here is a question I am curious about.
Is the wave function objective or subjective, or is such a question meaningless?
Conventionally, subjectivity is as follows: if a quantity is subjective then ...
2
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1answer
388 views
Transmission and reflection
What is the transmission amplitude of a wavefunction $\phi(x)=e^{ikx}(\tanh x -ik)$? I would have thought that it is $\tanh x -ik$ since this is the factor associated with the forward travelling ...
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vote
1answer
702 views
What does $\Psi^*$ mean in Schrodinger's Equation?
I am not a physics student. In one of my courses, some fundamental concepts of Quantum mech were needed, so i was gng through them when i stumbled upon this
It says
$$\text{probability} = ...
0
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1answer
165 views
Help me to visualize this wave equation in time, to which direction it moves?
The wave is
$\bar{E} = E_{0} sin(\frac{2\pi z}{\lambda} + wt) \bar{i} + E_{0} cos(\frac{2 \pi z}{\lambda}+wt) \bar{j}$
Let's simplify with $z = 1$. Now the xy-axis is defined by parametrization ...
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4answers
251 views
Does the wave nature of a particle refer to the wave function?
In quantum mechanics when we talk about the wave nature of particles are we referring in fact to the wave function? Does the wave function describes the probability of finding a particle (ex: ...
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4answers
529 views
Why is wave function so important?
I am almost sure that the wave function is the most important figures in modern physics book.
On the other hand I know that wave function even do not have a physical meaning it self alone!
Why is ...
2
votes
1answer
427 views
Wave function of hydrogen atom including spin of nucleus
How do I write the wave function of hydrogen atom taking into consideration of nucleus spin? For example consider $2S_{\frac{1}{2}}$ state with nucleus spin $I$, then wave function ...
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0answers
174 views
Probability and probability amplitude
What made scientists believe that we should calculate probability $P$ as the $P = \left|\psi\right|^2$ in quantum mechanics? Was it the double slit experiment? How? Is there anywhere in the ...
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1answer
425 views
Plane wave expansion in cylindrical coordinates
I am trying to solve scattering problem in 2D and got to expand the wave function in cylindrical system which comes out to be Hankel function. Can you tell me how to expand the plane wave $\exp(i ...
1
vote
1answer
316 views
How Represent Waves via Complex Numbers?
i try to finished my thesis, (Just have a problem with the wave mechanics)
this is wave function:
$$\Psi(\vec x, t)=A\exp{i(\phi+\vec k.\vec x-\omega t)}$$
In mathematics, the symbol $i$ is ...
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2answers
486 views
Matter waves and de Broglie wave length
The wavelength of a particle of momentum p is calculated using De Broglie relation.
The de Broglie relation was postulated for what is called a matter waves. Now according to the statistical ...
4
votes
2answers
307 views
Exactly how is the constant measured velocity of light deduced from Maxwell's equation?
For electromagnetic radiation the velocity of propagation is $c = 1/\sqrt{\mu_0 \epsilon_0}$. Since both $\mu_0$ and $\epsilon_0$ do not vary in any inertial frame, then $c$ must be constant in any ...
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2answers
90 views
Can we measure “wavefunction” of quantum particles?
We know that there is uncertainty principle, so question: can we ever measure wavefunction of particles? I do not think this is possible, but I am not sure. I guess that everything is probabilistic. ...
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2answers
89 views
Why does the wave description say that probability oscillates, while the phase interpretation says constant amplitude?
The wave description of a particle illustrates an oscillating probability of the particle being found in any point in space.
When a particle travels, it carries along with it a phase that oscillates ...
0
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1answer
384 views
Solving the time independent Schrodinger equation: Does a complex solution make sense?
In my notes, I have the Time Independent Schrodinger equation for a free particle
$$\frac{\partial^2 \psi}{\partial x^2}+\frac{p^2}{\hbar^2}\psi=0\tag1$$
The solution to this is given, in my notes, ...
