Visual Quantum Mechanics

Prepared for Contemporary Physics by Dean Zollman, Wally Axmann, Bob Grabhorn, Carol Regehr, and Paul Donovan Spring, 1994
From Kansas State University:http://bluegiant.phys.ksu.edu/dvi/vqm/vqm.html

Visual Quantum Mechanics: Table of Contents

3. Wave Functions

A wave function has a variety of features including an amplitude, a wavelength; and nodes. The square of the amplitude can be used to describe the probability of the object being at each point in space. Thus, the wave function offers us an equivalent to an equation which relates distance, velocity, acceleration and time for larger objects.

However, the wave function is not identical to results obtained using equations such as Force = mass × acceleration. With a result which comes from Newton's Laws, we obtain precise information about the location of the object at any future time. All we need to know are the forces acting on it, its present location, and its present velocity; all other information regarding the future motion of the object is then determined. Schrödinger's Equation, on the other hand, can only provide us with information about the probability of finding the object in each location at some future time. We can state that the probability of finding the object at each point is high or low, but we can never say with certainty where the object will be at a future time.

The study of the behavior of small objects such as electrons by using Schrödinger's Equation is usually called Quantum Mechanics.

Next: Probability Basics

Visual Quantum Mechanics: Table of Contents