Explaining Schrodinger's Equation: Why Is It Linear?

UrbanXrisis
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I was wondering if someone could explain to me why is Schrodinger's Equation has to be linear?
 
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It has to be linear so that also linear combinations of solutions are also solutions of the Schrödinger equation. Quantum states as represented by state vectors ( wave functions in position space) are superposed states, i.e. linear combinations of vectors with complex numbers as their components.

So the superposition principle needs it to be linear.
 
UrbanXrisis said:
I was wondering if someone could explain to me why is Schrodinger's Equation has to be linear?

I can't say anything intelligent about it because I've never studied it, but there IS a non-linear Schrodinger's equation. You could probably Google it.

-Dan
 

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