Is the Bound State Wave Function Always Real or Imaginary?

In summary, the speaker is questioning whether all bound states are either real or imaginary, not a mixture of both. They also mention that bound states have a degeneracy of level one and question if this means that the real and imaginary parts of the wave function are linearly dependent. The speaker also asks if this type of reasoning is valid and mentions that in their experience, bound state wave functions are always real. They also bring up the idea of degeneracy in the non-linear Schrodinger equation.
  • #1
Nemanja989
79
2
Hi :),

recently I was thinking whether every bound state is only real or imaginary, not mixture? Since all bound states have degeneracy of level one, if we suppose that [itex]ψ=ψ_{r}+iψ_{i}[/itex], then [itex]ψ_{r}[/itex] and [itex]ψ_{i}[/itex] must be linearly dependent as in opposite case there would be a bound state with degeneracy of level two.

Is this type reasoning good or not?

In every single example that I have seen or was doing numerically bound state wave function was always real.

Also, degeneracy level is derived through ordinary Schrodinger equation. What about non-linear Schrodinger equation? Does in this case every bound state correspond to only one wave function, or there is degeneracy of higher level?

Thanks in advance :)
 
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  • #2
This is correct, but only in one dimension.
 

1. What is a bound state wave function?

A bound state wave function is a mathematical representation of the probability distribution of a particle that is confined within a potential well or bound to a specific system. It describes the behavior and characteristics of a particle within a specific energy state.

2. How is the bound state wave function related to quantum mechanics?

The bound state wave function is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics. It is derived from the Schrödinger equation, which is a central equation in quantum mechanics that describes the evolution of a particle's wave function over time. The bound state wave function provides information about the energy levels and spatial distribution of a particle in a bound state.

3. What factors affect the shape of the bound state wave function?

The shape of the bound state wave function is affected by several factors, including the potential well or system that the particle is bound to, the particle's mass, and the particle's energy. These factors determine the probability density of finding the particle in a particular location within the system.

4. How does the bound state wave function relate to the concept of energy quantization?

The bound state wave function is closely related to the concept of energy quantization, which is a fundamental principle in quantum mechanics. Energy quantization states that the energy of a particle in a bound state can only take on specific discrete values, and the bound state wave function provides information about these energy levels and their corresponding probabilities.

5. Can the bound state wave function be experimentally observed?

The bound state wave function cannot be directly observed, as it is a mathematical representation of a particle's probability distribution. However, the predictions of the bound state wave function have been experimentally verified through various experiments and observations, providing evidence for the accuracy of the wave function in describing the behavior of particles in bound states.

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