Recent content by skate_nerd

Thanks for the response! I think I see what you mean. When I took the partial derivative with respect to $\dot{q}_i$ I neglected the fact that $p_i$ is a function of $\dot{q}_i$. I'll rework this keeping that in mind.

I've got a problem that asks us to derive the Euler-Lagrange equations by only using Hamilton's equations and the definition of the Hamiltonian in terms of the Lagrangian. Here's what I tried: The Hamiltonian is defined as \begin{align*} \mathcal{H} = \dot{q}_ip_i - \mathcal{L} \end{align*}...

Disclaimer: I'm not exactly sure that this topic would belong in this thread but I don't think it would fit better anywhere else. I'm working on writing a paper for my grad research project and my PI wants me to model the plots after another paper that our lab published in the past, but I'm...

I appreciate the response! Cheers

Homework Statement I'm just stuck on one part of a larger problem. I need to find the range of total angular momentum values for an electron in a j-j coupling scheme. Homework Equations j= l + and - 1/2 The Attempt at a Solution The electrons here are in a 5d 6s configuration. So for the...

Not really sure if this topic belongs here...but anyways, I am getting my physics degree soon and I want to get my favorite physics professor a gift before I go off to grad school. She wrote me a letter of rec and I took 5 classes with her, so she definitely deserves it. She practically does...

The whole problem I'm doing here is not even really relevant, so I won't go too much into it...I'm told to find an atomic form factor given some certain conditions, and I do a big gross integral and got this: $$f=(\frac{4}{4+(a_oG)^2})^2$$ where \(a_o\) is the Bohr radius and \(G\) is the...

Homework Statement This problem just has me find an atomic form factor for some arbitrary basis atom in a bravais lattice where the electron wave function is given (it has a dependence on the Bohr radius in an exponential). I calculated the form factor (a very long, nasty integral that...

Ah! Thank you! This is precisely the answer I was looking for. Much appreciated DrDu.

Just for a little background: What brought this up originally was that I have been working in a Quantum Optics lab as of late, and I am trying to reproduce part of a thesis experiment that a classmate just finished last semester. This thesis explored Plasmonic Resonant Solitons in Metallic...

This is my point exactly...I am aware of Brewster's angle, and it makes sense to me that to calculate the speed of light in anything translucent you would just need to find the speed of light in air experimentally and then from there you could employ Brewster's angle to find the index of...

Thanks Dave! That was really enlightening...I guess for a more thorough understanding I'll have to wait a month until I start my first Solid State Physics class. Question: Is the end of this FAQ saying that determining the speed of light in a given material (assuming the photons are outside...

Hi all, I've recently learned some details about refractive indices in different media that I never knew about before. Up until now, I was aware that the speed light travels in a certain medium is dependent on the wavelength of light used. However I wasn't aware that for different kinds of...

Ahhh thank you thank you thank you! That works 100%! Man I've been trying to get this formula for a week...I really appreciate it.

I'm sorry i just don't think that's correct. Try wolframalpha. I know the formulas for the x, x^2, x^3 cases, but not the x^4. But everything up to x^3 agrees with wolframalpha's output, and this formula you guys are giving doesn't look very similar and does not agree...