QM: Quantization Dependent on Spatial Confinement?

[fog37]

Hello Forum,

Some observables in quantum mechanics are always quantized, i.e. come in discrete separate values, while other observables, like energy or momentum, can be quantized or not depending on the spatial confinement of the system. Is that correct?

Is spatial confinement of the physical system is main reason of why certain observables are sometimes quantized and sometimes not?

Thanks!

 

[Jilang]

Spatial confinement does lead to quantization of momentum (and so of energy) . Which observables are you considering to be always quantized?

 

[fog37]

Isn't spin always quantized? What about angular momentum?

Overall, the list of observables includes: position, momentum, energy, angular momentum, spin, polarization...Anything else?

 

[DrClaude]

Isn't spin always quantized? What about angular momentum?

Both spin and angular momentum are always quantized.

Overall, the list of observables includes: position, momentum, energy, angular momentum, spin, polarization...Anything else?

There is an infinity of observables, so there is no point listing them all