Wave Mechanics
The state of a system is specified by a wave function. From the de-Broglie hypothesis matter can be
described as a wave, the wavefunction is a mathematical description of this wave written,
(~r, t) = (x, y, z, t)
(1)
h 2
(~r, t)
=
(~r, t) + V (~r, t)(~r, t)
t
2m
2
2
2
2 =
+ 2+ 2
2
x
y
z
(2)
(3)
The Born rule staes the probability for a paticle to be in a volume centered around ~r,
(~r, t)
2 dV = (~r, t)(x, t) dx = (~r, t) dx
(4)
dV
A
Hermitian operators are self adjoint corresponding to inner products expectation all real
(5)
Important Consequences
2
R
Normalisation dV
(~r, t)
= 1
Continuity/Conservation of Probability
Shrodinger Equation and its complex conjugate
ih
h2 2
=
+V
t
2m
ih
h2 2
=
+V
t
2m
h2
2 + V
=
t
2m
ih
h2
=
(2 ) + V
t
2m
(~r, t) + ~j = 0
t
ih(
dV
(~r, t) =
dV (~r, t)
t
t rR
rR
Z
Z
dV (~r, t)
dV ~j =
t rR
rR
Z
Z
~=
~j dA
dV (~r, t)
t rR
rR
As R
Z
dV (~r, t = 0
rR
Z
dV (~r, t = C
rR
= i
The energy operator is given by E
h t
h2 2
=
+V
t
2m
1 h
h
ih
=
( ) ( ) + V
t
2m i
i
1
=
H
p p + V
2m
1 2
=
H
p + V
2m
ih
1.1
A particle can be described by the matter wave associated with the particle which vanishes everywhere
except in the neighbourhood of the particle. This is termed a wave packet.
A wave packet is a group of waves that when summed interfere constructively in the neigbourhood of
the particle and adestructively everywhere else.
Quantum Mechanics - Zettili pg. 40 More treatment
Mathematical Tools
2.1
Hilbert Space
A Hilbert space generalizes the idea of a euclidean space to n-dimensions. Below are a list of properties
associated with a Hilbert space.
1. H is a linear space.
(a) Vector Addition
i. Commutivity
~+B
~ =B
~ +A
~
A
(6)
~ + B)
~ +C
~ =A
~ + (B
~ + C)
~
(A
(7)
~ + ~0 = A
~
A
(8)
~ + (A)
~ = ~0
A
(9)
ii. Associativity
iii. Existence of neutral vector
iv. Existence of inverse
(b) Scalar Multiplication
i. Distributivity
~ + B)
~ = aA
~ + aB
~
a(A
~ = aA
~ + bA
~
(a + b)A
(10)
ii. Associativity
~ = (ab)A
~
a(bA)
(11)
~=0
0A
(12)
(13)
2
~
~ A)
~ =
(A,
0
A
(14)
(b)
3. H is complete
2.2
1. Linear Independence
N
X
~i = 0
ai A
(15)
i=1
~i =
ai
(16)
i=1
3. Basis (The set of vectors of linealy independent vectors describing a vector space)
N
X
~i =
ai
(17)
i=1
Z
(, ) =
6
dx
(18)
2.3
Dirac Notation
The physical state of a system is represented by elements of a hilbert space H - called state vectors.
Through function expansion these state vectors can be represented in difference basis (simiarily to changing
a coordinate system). The state of a microscopic system has a meaning independent of the basis (just as a
coordinate sytem does not affect the position being described). Dirac notation takes full advantage of this
and gives baseless representation of a state.
Kets