What does * mean and how is it used

[chrismariesan]

I'm studying hermitian operators and in the equations it keeps using a * after a function i.e. f(x)*
I don't understand what it means and how it's used and why they keep moving it all around the equation...I know it's probably pretty easy and I just missed it in lecture but it's driving me crazy.
pleeeese help!

 

[cristo]

The * stands for complex conjugatation. So, if f(x) is the wavefunction, then f*(x) is the complex conjugate of the wavefunction.

If you're still unsure, then give an example of it "moves around an equation" and someone can clear it up for you.

 

[CaptainQuaser]

Complex conjugate means the imaginary part of the function becomes negative, in case you didn't know that.

 

[masudr]

Complex conjugate means the imaginary part of the function becomes negative, in case you didn't know that.

Just to remove any possible room for error: conjugation changes the sign of the imaginary part, so it could become positive as well (or, indeed, remain zero).