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I have been working on a quantum mechanics problem I asked here and someone recommended to use path integrals. I learned about path integrals but I couldn't find out how to finding the most optimized path of a quantum particle. How can I use path integrals to do so?

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  • $\begingroup$ This question (v1) is essentially a duplicate of this question by OP: physics.stackexchange.com/q/149953/2451 $\endgroup$
    – Qmechanic
    Commented Dec 6, 2014 at 7:42
  • $\begingroup$ What do you mean by the most optimized path? If it is the path with minimal action on the path then you could use classical mechanics to find it. Otherwise you could optimize your own function using Euler-Lagrange equations. $\endgroup$
    – nvvm
    Commented Dec 6, 2014 at 10:20
  • $\begingroup$ I saw the previous question of Abraham, and I wonder why should it have been closed. Abraham is confused, and recommending him to show effort, is to send him to no precise direction. One could have asked him WHY HAS the particle to go through the shortest path, and toward which point/region/device/etc. Here is a reference fit for him: Gordon Baym, "Lectures on Quantum Mechanics", chapter 3, "Motion of particles in Quantum Mechanics", section "Quantum mechanical motion as a sum over paths". This book is excellent for beginners, it is very intuitive. $\endgroup$
    – Sofia
    Commented Dec 6, 2014 at 12:38
  • $\begingroup$ (continuation) Please don't feel upset with my comment. In your early years of studying quantum mechanics, you never were confused? $\endgroup$
    – Sofia
    Commented Dec 6, 2014 at 12:46
  • $\begingroup$ @Qmechanic um.. that's my question! $\endgroup$
    – TanMath
    Commented Dec 6, 2014 at 19:01

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