- #1
Rudipoo
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I'm struggling with the relation between particle exchange and parity with the case of para- and ortho-hydrogen.
The overall wavefunction must be antisymmetric with respect to particle exchange and so for para-hydrogen (an antisymmetric spin state) the spatial part of the wavefunction must be symmetric with respect to particle exchange.
My notes say that because the parity of a state of angular momentum quantum number l is (-1)^l then for para-hydrogen l may only take even values. I'm struggling to see the relationship between parity and particle exchange in this case, can anyone help?
Thanks
The overall wavefunction must be antisymmetric with respect to particle exchange and so for para-hydrogen (an antisymmetric spin state) the spatial part of the wavefunction must be symmetric with respect to particle exchange.
My notes say that because the parity of a state of angular momentum quantum number l is (-1)^l then for para-hydrogen l may only take even values. I'm struggling to see the relationship between parity and particle exchange in this case, can anyone help?
Thanks