# Wave structure question

1. Sep 3, 2004

### Ed Quanta

What type of wave structure does a real state function correspond to? I am sorry. I meant to post this in the Quantum physics section.

Last edited: Sep 3, 2004
2. Sep 3, 2004

### Tom Mattson

Staff Emeritus
What's a "wave structure"?

3. Sep 3, 2004

### marlon

what do You mean. The expressions you are using are very strange to say the least. :tongue:

regards
marlon

4. Sep 4, 2004

### RedX

A wave function Q(x) which is real has a structure such that the average momentum is zero.

[I'm using Q(x) to represent the wave function in position space because there's no psi on my keyboard and 'w' which most looks like psi I use for eigenvalues]

5. Sep 4, 2004

### Ed Quanta

What type of physical phenomena is described by a real valued wave functon?

6. Sep 4, 2004

### Tom Mattson

Staff Emeritus
Since the time-depedent part is always complex, I'm assuming you mean the space-dependent part. In that case, you have only to look up the chapter on stationary state problems in any elementary QM textbook. You will find that the step potential, the infinite well, the finite well, the harmonic oscillator all have real-valued space wavefunctions. The hydrogen atom also has some purely real spatial wavefunctions.