Orbital angular momentum and powers of k

In summary, the conversation discusses the presence of powers of the momentum in systems with orbital angular momentum greater than zero. The reason for this is related to the solutions of the radial part of the wave equation and can be found in books such as Weinberg's "Lectures on Quantum Mechanics" or any quantum mechanics book that covers scattering theory.
  • #1
Einj
470
59
Hi guys,
I have a question which is probably stupid. I am studying angular momentum and I have found almost everywhere that, if we have orbital angular momentum higher than [itex]\ell=0[/itex] then it brings powers of the momentum of the system like [itex]k^\ell[/itex]. What is the reason of that? Can someone suggest a book where I can find it or something?

Thank you
 
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  • #2
I may be able to help but I need to know where this is coming from. You say this appears in a few books, can you name one so I can check what it says?
 
  • #3
You can find it, for example, in Weinberg - Lectures on Quantum Mechanics, in the chapter on Shallow Bound States, when he talks about the request for the state to be in S-wave in order to avoid suppression by factors [itex]k^\ell[/itex].
 
  • #4
It comes out by solving the radial part of wave eqn which contains the factor of l(l+1),there we use
ρ=kr as the variable and in some simplification with potential,the solutions are of the form (ρl)+(1/ρl+1),second part is rejected for finiteness near the origin which does give kl type term.All quantum mechanics books containing scattering theory deals with it.
 
  • #5
Ok, thank you very much. I'll definitely take a look at that!
 

Related to Orbital angular momentum and powers of k

What is orbital angular momentum?

Orbital angular momentum refers to the rotational motion of a particle or object around a fixed point or axis. It is a vector quantity that describes the amount of rotational energy and direction of rotation.

How is orbital angular momentum related to powers of k?

In quantum mechanics, the orbital angular momentum of a particle can be expressed as a multiple of the wave vector, k. This relationship is known as the power of k and is used to describe the rotational motion of particles on the atomic scale.

What are some applications of orbital angular momentum and powers of k?

Orbital angular momentum and powers of k have various applications in physics, including the study of atomic and molecular structures, optical vortices, and quantum computing. They are also used in the development of new technologies such as optical tweezers and communication systems.

How is orbital angular momentum quantized?

Orbital angular momentum is quantized, meaning it can only take on discrete values. This is due to the wave-like nature of particles at the atomic scale and is described by the quantum number, l. The quantization of orbital angular momentum is a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics.

What is the difference between orbital angular momentum and spin angular momentum?

Orbital angular momentum refers to the rotational motion of a particle around a fixed point, while spin angular momentum refers to the intrinsic angular momentum of a particle. Spin angular momentum is not dependent on the particle's motion and is often described as the particle's "intrinsic spin".

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