5 Questions
What is the Schrödinger equation?
The Schrödinger equation is a linear partial differential equation that governs the wave function of a quantum-mechanical system. Its discovery was a significant landmark in the development of quantum mechanics.
Who postulated the Schrödinger equation and in what year was it published?
Erwin Schrödinger postulated the equation in 1925 and published it in 1926.
What is the conceptual relationship between the Schrödinger equation and Newton's second law?
Conceptually, the Schrödinger equation is the quantum counterpart of Newton's second law in classical mechanics.
What does the Schrödinger equation predict?
The Schrödinger equation gives the evolution over time of a wave function, the quantum-mechanical characterization of an isolated physical system.
What postulate by Louis de Broglie influenced Schrödinger's formulation of the equation?
The equation was postulated by Schrödinger based on a postulate of Louis de Broglie that all matter has an associated matter wave.
Study Notes
The Schrödinger Equation
- The Schrödinger equation is a linear partial differential equation that governs the wave function of a quantum-mechanical system.
- The equation was postulated by Erwin Schrödinger in 1925 and published in 1926, leading to his Nobel Prize in Physics in 1933.
Conceptual Significance
- The Schrödinger equation is the quantum counterpart of Newton's second law in classical mechanics.
- Like Newton's second law, the Schrödinger equation makes a mathematical prediction of the path a physical system will take over time, but for the wave function of an isolated quantum-mechanical system.
Historical Background
- The equation was postulated by Schrödinger based on Louis de Broglie's postulate that all matter has an associated matter wave.
- The Schrödinger equation predicted bound states of the atom, achieving a significant milestone in the development of quantum mechanics.
Test your knowledge of quantum mechanics with this quiz on the Schrödinger equation. Explore the fundamental concepts and history behind this groundbreaking equation in physics.
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