Questions tagged [identical-particles]
Questions related to the discernibility of many-body systems, its philosophical implications and its mathematical description.
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Does quantum gases obey ideal gas equation $ PV= nRT$?
At extremely low temperature, does an ideal gas of bosons or fermions obey the ideal gas equation, $PV= nRT$?
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0answers
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Spectrum of two particles system hamiltonian
Consider the following hamiltonian describing a system of two identical spin 1/2 particles in one dimension:
$$H = H_1 +H_2 - \lambda \vec {s_1} . \vec {s_2}$$
Where $H_i$ is the Hamiltonian of an ...
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3answers
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Wave function of a system of two identical fermions
In N. Zettili's 'Quantum Mechanics Concepts and Applications' [chapter 8, solved problem 8.3], we have to find wave function and ground state energy of a system having two identical fermions and in ...
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1answer
43 views
Is the spin-statistics theorem true for antifermions?
The spin-statistics theorem says that having a system of identical fermions, the total wavefunction is antisymmetric with respect to exchange of any two fermions.
My question is, does this hold for ...
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1answer
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Identical Spin Fermions in the same orbital state: Finding total spin
Say we have two identical spin 3/2 particles in the same orbital state. What are the possible total spin?
I know that there is a simple formula for adding angular momenta, but this breaks down when ...
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2answers
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Indistinguishable particles and symmetrization of wavefunction
For 2 indistinguishable particles, we take the wave function to be
$$\psi\pm (r_1,r_2) = A[\psi_a (r1)\psi_b (r2) \pm \psi_b (r1)\psi_a (r2) ]$$
where fermions get a - sign and bosons get a +
But, if ...
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1answer
35 views
Configuration space of identical particles - fractional statistics
In Khare's book of fractional statistics and quantum theory, when discussing why we need fractional statistics he arrives at the configuration space
for a system of two identical particles in $d$ ...
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0answers
30 views
Indistinguishable particles and statistical mechanincs
i'm studying the paragraph 5.5 (page 119) of this book:
http://sciold.ui.ac.ir/~sjalali/MSc.Students/statistical.mechanics/pathria.pdf
Now at page 121 we have:
$$ \sum\limits_{p} \delta_p{u_{k1}}(...
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4answers
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The wave function of a system of two identical particles
For a system of two identical particles, where $r_1$ is the position vector of particle 1 and $r_2$ is the position vec. of particle 2, the wave function should be one of the plus or minus states:
\...
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1answer
42 views
When exactly do identical fermions interact?
For the case of $N$ identical fermions in a three-dimensional box, the Pauli Exclusion Principle necessitates that the overall wavefunction of the system is antisymmetric. No two fermions can occupy ...
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5answers
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Are black holes indistinguishable?
In the standard model of particles it is understood that besides characteristics like momentum, spin, etc., two electrons are indistinguishable.
Are two black holes, in the same sense, ...
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Do the exchange operator and Hamiltonian commute for non-identical particles?
Wherever I have read about exchange operator(P), it is stated that for two identical bosons it introduces a plus sign after exchange and minus sign for fermions. P and Hamiltonian(H) commute for two ...
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2answers
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Why aren't Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics used in general cases?
From Probability Theory Vol. 1 Feller Section 2 Chapter 5:
Maxwell-Boltzaman distribution: consider $r$ indistinguishable balls and $n$ cells. Assuming that all $n^r$ possible placements are ...
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3answers
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Newbie question: Atom identity. How can you talk about two electrons if electrons are identical? [closed]
How can you talk about two electrons if they are identical (indistinguible)? Does it make sense to let an electron to have an identity by itself?
If they are on diferent places the place they are is ...
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3answers
176 views
Is there any “singlet state” for 3 or more spin 1/2 particles?
Every system with $N$ or more electrons lies in a Hilbert space $H=H_{\text{space}} \otimes H_{\text{spin}}$, with $H_{\text{space}}=H_{\text{space}}^{1}\otimes\cdots\otimes H_{\text{space}}^{N}$ and $...
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3answers
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Decay of neutral kaon into two pions and conservation of angular momentum
I am asked the following question: A kaon $K^0$ decays into two pions $\pi^0$, being this two pions particles with spin zero. Using the conservation of angular momentum and the fact that the two pions ...
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0answers
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Hilbert space of an ensemble of identically prepared systems
In order to verify experimentally the quantum mechanical predictions when we measure observable $\hat O$ on a given system A, it is usual to prepare an ensemble of identically prepared systems ($N$ ...
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1answer
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Moller scattering and identical particles
Moller scattering is often described with a t-channel and u-channel.
The difference lies in the assignment whether $p_1$ changes to $p_3$ or $p_4$. Why is such an assignment valid?
Aren't the two ...
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2answers
181 views
Typical application of Pauli exclusion principle in atoms
Typically when we talk about the electron orbitals around atoms we talk about them getting "filled up" starting with s1, s2, and so on (with spin taken into account as well). This relies on the Pauli ...
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0answers
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Does well-defined energy states provide a complete set of eigenstates for systems of identical particles? [duplicate]
In the usual case, we know that well-defined energy states provide a complete set of basis. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the reason is because the Hamiltonian is hermitian, therefore there exists a ...
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1answer
102 views
Complete set of simultaneous eigenstates for identical particles
When I am learning about constructing wavefunctions for identical particles, I am taught to write down the wavefunctions of well defined energy then symmetrise them according to exchange symmetry.
...
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1answer
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Condition for Slater Determinant to not vanish
We know that if the states that we put in the Slater's determinant is linearly dependent, then it vanishes.
However, is the reverse true in the sense that, if the states are linearly independent, ...
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0answers
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$N$ fermions confined to a spherical shell
Consider the case where there's several identical non-interacting spin-1/2 particles with mass $m$ are confined on the surface of a sphere with radius $R$ so that the individual particles have only ...
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1answer
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Exclusion Principle for Two $e^-$ in Harmonic Oscillator Ground State
Suppose we have two $e^-$ in a one Dimensional Harmonic Oscillator with total spin $1$. I am looking for the ground state (and I've read this question Ground State Wavefunction of Two Particles in a ...
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0answers
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energy per particle in the ground state for non-interacting identical particles moving in external linear harmonic oscillator potential
Consider N non-interacting identical particles moving in an external linear harmonic oscillator potential. I want to calculate the energy per particle in ground state and show that
It is constant if ...
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1answer
101 views
Symmetrising both bosons and fermions
If I have a system of say 2 identical bosons, and 2 identical fermions, what can I say about the combined wavefunction, in terms of exchange symmetries?
Intuitively, I would expect swapping any two ...
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2answers
206 views
Are identical particles always entangled even when not interacting?
Aren't the states of two identical particles always entangled even if they are not interacting? The states of two identical particles are either symmetric or antisymmetric i.e., cannot be written as ...
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1answer
306 views
Ground state of three non-interacting fermions at an infinite well
In Zettili's Quantum Mechanics, page 477, he wants to determine the energy and wave function of the ground state of three non-interacting identical spin 1/2 particles confined in a one-dimensional ...
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0answers
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Symmetrization Postulate
I just read both question here and here about the symmetrization postulate, but I have still some trouble to understand why the symmetrization postulate is needed.
If I understand well the "strongest"...
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1answer
121 views
Symmetry of Spin Function
I have a question concerning the symmetry of the spin function in multiple identical particle systems. In the solutions of one of the quizzes, my professor said that the $s=3/2$ spin function is ...
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0answers
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what does antisymmetrizing mean when it comes to electrons?
Consider two electron at $|x\rangle$ and $|y\rangle$ respectively. Is it possible to anti-symmetrize the total state of the the system just with the above information? If I make
$$|\psi\rangle = [|x\...
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3answers
309 views
Why is Pauli exclusion principle necessary?
Why is it not possible to put two fermions in the same quantum state? I read in some book that this disturbs the quantum statistics. Also what makes bosons to have same quantum states?
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1answer
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What experiments have been done on Identical Particles?
Are elementary particles really identical, or do they have hidden state? I have learned / always assumed that any two electrons are identical and interchangeable; the same for any other elementary ...
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0answers
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Are nucleons, atoms and molecules identical particles?
Why are nucleons, atoms and molecules considered identical particles (bosons or fermions) even if they can be distinguished by the state of their most elementary components?
Also, what size does a ...
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0answers
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Spin-1 particle as a bound state of two particles - how to write state ket?
Consider a spin-1 particle that is a bound state of two particles of
spin-1/2. How do you write the state $\left|\alpha\right\rangle$ if
the two particles are distinguishable?
the two ...
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1answer
252 views
Identical particles and antisymmetric wavefunction
I am just confused about why the overall wavefunction of two identical particles should be antisymmetric.
I was looking at this lecture note from University of Edinburgh's QM course:
So the way ...
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1answer
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Two identical particles
A system made up of two spin-$1/2$ identical particles is prepared
such that:
a measurement of $\mathbf{L}_{1}^2$ and $\mathbf{L}_{2}^2$ gives $2\hbar^2$ with certainty;
a measurement of $...
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4answers
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Making indistinguishable particles distinguishable?
I am wondering if we fix the locations of indistinguishable particles, will the identical particles become distinguishable? Say, put each one of the indistinguishable particles into a small box.
...
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1answer
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How can two photons with different frequencies created by parametric down conversion be indistinguishable? [closed]
We have two photons created by the same four wave mixing process. How are they indistinguishable if they have different wavelengths? I know that as they are created at the same moment by the same ...
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4answers
671 views
For ideal classical gasses, in terms of the energy levels why do we ignore whether the particles are fermions or bosons?
I am confused as to why when dealing with ideal classical gasses, the dependency of the particles being either fermions or bosons is ignored. How does this relate to the energy levels within the ...
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1answer
306 views
Identical particles: why a symetric or antisymmetric wave function?
I've read in many text books that the indistinguishability of two identical particles at $x$ and $y$ implies:
$$|\psi(x,y)|=|\psi(y,x)|\quad (1)$$
This sounds rather natural.
Then they say there ...
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2answers
463 views
What is the wavefunction of a system consists of both Fermions and Bosons?
Under the exchange of particle, the state of Fermions and Bosons are anti symmetric and symmetric respectively. For example, if $\psi_1(x)$ and $\psi_2(x)$ are two one particle wavefunctions, two ...
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1answer
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Ideal Gas: an unexpected consequence of indistinguishability and the $N!$ term
I came across an issue which bugs me.
Considering an ideal gas of $N$ non-interacting particles on a $1D$ container of length $L$, its (configurational) entropy $S$ reads $$ S = kT \ln \Big(\frac{L^...
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2answers
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What is special about the indistinguishability of Boson and Fermions?
In the treatment of Bosonic or Fermionic systems that I'm familiar with, you start with a state containing at least two particles:
$$
\left| a_{i}, a_{j} \right\rangle
$$
And define a permutation ...
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1answer
535 views
Eigenvalues of the exchange operator determined by the particle type (boson or fermion) in a two particle system
While dealing with a two particle system in QM (the particles are identical),
the net wave function of the system would be simply the product of the wavefunctions of the individual particles in the ...
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1answer
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Why can a coupled wavefunction of 2 nucleons seemingly arbitrarily give two different expressions?
When looking at the Isospin representation of a proton-neutron system (with the notation $|I,I_3\rangle$), you can go from an uncoupled to a coupled representation like this:
$$\textstyle|\frac{1}{2},...
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1answer
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(How) Can the permutation operator be applied to wave functions?
The permutation operator $\hat{P}_{xyz}$, for a system of three particles, assigns the quantum numbers of particle 1 to particle $x$, of particle 2 to particle $y$ and so on. That is, given a ket, e.g....
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2answers
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How to distinguish different electrons?
Suppose in the system of two electrons, can you use the electron spin to distinguish the electrons.
In the whole system of particles,where the electrons are swapped,the quantum state of the system ...
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1answer
184 views
Can two bosons be called identical although their momenta are different?
In my introductory book of Quantum Field Theory says that because of the conmutation of the creation operators for a two particles sistem, bosons can be called identical. They give an example using a ...
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1answer
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Does entropy really not increase here?
Two vessels separated by a partition have equal volume $V_0$ and equal temperature $T_0$. They both contain the same ideal gas, and the particles are indistinguishable. The left vessel has pressure $...
