SCHRODINGER EQUATION

BY: MUHAMMAD HAROON SAEED

MS-24816

Reference: Wikipedia (Photo)

 Background
Assumptions
Derivation
Physical Explanation
Limitations
Approximations
OUTLINE

Reference: ..
BACKGROUND
Photoelectric effect
De-Broglie hypothesis
Davison & Germer experiment
Discrete energy level
Heisenberg matrix mechanics
Wave particle duality
Schrodinger Equation

Reference: ..
 WAVE PARTICLE DUALITY
Wave particle duality is basic of quantum wave mechanics.
Q:Why we so confused?
Ans: Our thinking based on Aristotle philosophy.
Extremism.
Law of excluded middle(Aristotle)*
Law of included middle(Lao Tso)*

Reference: *Online article:

 ASSUMPTIONS
The theory of the Schrodinger equation is based on following
two assumptions:
Creation and destruction phenomena of particles are
ignored and in any given physical situation it is thus
assumed that the number of each kind of particle remains
constant as the process evolve in time.
It is assumed that all relevant velocities are sufficiently
small so that a non-relativistic approximation is valid.

Berkeley physics course(vol#4)

Reference:
Quantum physics Chapter#7, page#268
DERIVATION
"Where did we get that (equation) from? Nowhere. It is not possible to derive
it from anything you know. It came out of the mind of Schrdinger.
(Richard Feynman)

This mean Schrodinger equation is first principle based.

By Debroglie hypothesis: k & E=

Since we want to represent particles as waves, we need to think up an equation

whose solution is a wave of some sort.

Reference: David Morin, morin@physics.harvard.edu

DERIVATION
A wave with frequency and wavenumber k can be written as usual as

Postulate of quantum mechanics.

If we multiply above energy equation by then we get

(x)

(x)

Reference: David Morin, morin@physics.harvard.edu

PHYSICAL INTERPTATION
For free particle:

Think of the Heat diffusion equation

K
It is clear that Schrodingers equation describing the diffusion of a probability
amplitude from one point to the next along the line.
Note:
But there is the main difference between above two equations solution of
classical diffusion equation is always real but due to i multiply by time
derivative gives complex solution of Schrodingers equation.

Reference: Feynman lectures on physics 3rd volume page#16-4

STATISTICAL INTERPRETATION OF
Erwin with his , can do calculations quite a few but one thing hasnt been
seen just what does really mean
(Max Born)

When Schrodinger 1st discovered his equation he discovered the conservation

law as a consequence of his equation. But he imagine incorrectly
That P was electric charge density of the electron and that J was the electric
current density.

For H-atom P & J would generate EM field and radiate light.

Max Born correctly interpreted the wave function in term of probability

amplitude.

Reference: Feynman lectures on physics 3rd volume page#21-6

STATISTICAL INTERPRETATION OF

Born Condition on Wave-function to make physically

meaningful

1. The wave function must be finite everywhere.

2. The wave function must be single valued.
3. The wave function must be continuous.
4. The 1st derivative of wave function must be continuous.

Introduction to quantum mechanics by David griffith 2nd edition

Reference: page#71
PRACTICAL LIMITATION
Few problem in quantum mechanics can be solved exactly.
"The general theory of quantum mechanics is now complete The difficulty
is only that the exact application of these laws leads to equations much too
complicated to be soluble. It therefore becomes desirable that approximate
practical methods of applying quantum mechanics should be developed,
which can lead to an explanation of the main features of complex atomic
systems without too
much computation. (Paul Dirac)*

Example:
Many body problem like Fe-atom.(26 electrons)

*Quantum Mechanics of Many-Electron Systems. Proceedings of the

Reference: Royal Society of London. Series A, Vol. 123, pp. 714-733 (1929)
APPROXIMATIONS
Born oppenheimer approximation.
Hertree Fork approximation.
Kohn-Shams equations
Density Functional theory.

Reference: www.wikipedia.org.com
THANK YOU!