Recent content by catsarebad

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    Basic commutator of angular momentum

    really? I thought it would be much simpler than that. I thought i was missing a trivial trick.
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    Basic commutator of angular momentum

    Could someone explain to me how the author goes from 2nd to 3rd step I think the intermediate step between 2 and 3 is basically to split up the commutator as [y p_z, z p_x] - [y p_z,x p_z] - [z p_y,z p_x] + [z p_y, x p_z] 2nd term = 0 3rd term = 0 so leftover is [L_x, L_y] = [y p_z, z p_x]...
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    Find Energy Levels for Harmonic Oscillator w/ Stretch-Only Spring

    for harmonic oscillator, V(x) = 1/2*m*w^2*x^2. here, the spring can be stretch or compress. however, is if the spring can only stretch such that V(x) is infinity for x<0, then find energy level for this setup. I don't understand the part about spring only being able to stretch. what does that...
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    What is the difference between H and E in the equation Hψ = Eψ?

    you just need to read eigenvalue problem. that seems like where you are having trouble. in Hψ = Eψ ψ do NOT cancel out. if you like, you can write it in a different notation H|ψ> = E|ψ> where H should actually be written as "H hat" to make a distinction that it is an operator. so...
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    What is the difference between H and E in the equation Hψ = Eψ?

    Hψ = Eψ is an eigenvalue problem you can read about it here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eigenvalues_and_eigenvectors so, H is the eigenvector and E is it's corresponding eigenvalue. eigenvalues are constants. for each eigenvalue you can find a corresponding eigenvector. again, think of it...
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    Coordinate space matrix elements <x|H|x'>. what are these?

    sweet, thanks. good information.
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    Probability of finding a particle [concept behind it]

    oh i see. mathematically, i suppose e^(-i) part always goes away so they have to be equal. in terms of physics, could you give a quick reasoning for why this is true? why is the probability of finding a particle in interval [a,b] the same as the probability of finding the particle at time t=0...
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    Coordinate space matrix elements <x|H|x'>. what are these?

    I'm asked to figure out how the so-called "coordinate space matrix elements" relate to "momentum space matrix elements <p|H|p'> but I don't understand what they are. any idea on how <x|H|x'> is defined? thanks in advance.
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    Probability of finding a particle [concept behind it]

    okay so I'm having a bit hard time understanding this: i get that probability of finding a particle in between [a,b] is integral (over a,b) (Ψ(x,t)*)Ψ(x,t) dx. however, can it also be integral (over a,b) of (Ψ(x,0)*)Ψ(x,0) dx? if not, why? i saw an example where Ψ(x,0) was given and problem...
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    Adjoint of Schrodinger Equation

    elaborate please. why is this not a true operator? I know adjoint of d/dx is -d/dx. i found it on net and book.
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    Adjoint of Schrodinger Equation

    I'm missing something obvious so please point out what I'm thinking wrong SE equation is: ih d/dt |> = H|> the taking adjoint turns i -> -i and (d/dt) -> -(d/dt) so adjoint of SE should be same as SE however it isn't. adjoint of SE is -ih d/dt |> = H|> do we not take adjoint of d/dt, if...
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    Remind me how to do this complex integral

    why are you integrating? this is what i was doing e^z = 1+z+z^2/2 + O(z^3) 1-cosz = z^2/2-z^4/4! + O(z^6) i couldn't really single out 1/z part
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    Remind me how to do this complex integral

    i've tried several methods (that i can think of) for this problem and none of them seem to work. also tried expanding as series and didn't get anywhere.
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    Remind me how to do this complex integral

    nvm what i said before. the only singularity inside our contour is z = 0. rest are outside and don't even matter. and yes integral = 2*pi*i * [sum of residues at each singularities]
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    Remind me how to do this complex integral

    according to wolfram alpha residue is 2 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=residue+of+e%5Ez%2F%281-cosz%29 any explanation on what is going on?
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