I System of bosons

Click For Summary
In a system of bosons, the overall wave function must be symmetric. While the spatial and spin functions can individually be antisymmetric, symmetry can still be achieved when considering the entire wave function. For systems with more than two particles, the complexity increases, allowing for mixed symmetry in the components. However, regardless of the individual characteristics of the spatial and spin functions, the net wave function remains symmetric. This fundamental property is crucial for understanding bosonic systems.
ananonanunes
Messages
19
Reaction score
6
If I have a system of bosons described by a wave function that can be separated into a spatial function and a spin function, do the spatial and spin functions have to be both symetric? Or can they be anti-symetric and symetry be attained only when we consider the whole wave function?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
ananonanunes said:
If I have a system of bosons described by a wave function that can be separated into a spatial function and a spin function, do the spatial and spin functions have to be both symetric? Or can they be anti-symetric and symetry be attained only when we consider the whole wave function?
The whole wave function must be symmetric. The components may both be antisymmetric.
 
With more than two particles things become more complicated. The space and spin wave functions can have mixed symmetry, neither symmetric nor asymmetric. The net function must be symmetric, though.
 
We often see discussions about what QM and QFT mean, but hardly anything on just how fundamental they are to much of physics. To rectify that, see the following; https://www.cambridge.org/engage/api-gateway/coe/assets/orp/resource/item/66a6a6005101a2ffa86cdd48/original/a-derivation-of-maxwell-s-equations-from-first-principles.pdf 'Somewhat magically, if one then applies local gauge invariance to the Dirac Lagrangian, a field appears, and from this field it is possible to derive Maxwell’s...