What is the Schrödinger equation?
Q: What is the Schrödinger equation?
A: The Schrödinger equation is a differential equation that forms the basis of quantum mechanics and was thought of by Erwin Schrödinger in 1925. It defines a wave function of a particle or system which has a certain value at every point in space for every given time.
Q: What information can be found from manipulating the wave function?
A: By mathematically manipulating the wave function, real values relating to physical properties such as position, momentum, energy, etc. can be found.
Q: What does it mean when a particle may have many different positions, energies, velocities or other physical properties at the same time?
A: This means that the wave function can be in a number of different states at once and so a particle may have many different positions, energies, velocities or other physical properties at the same time (i.e. "be in two places at once").
Q: What is wave function collapse?
A: Wave function collapse is when one of these properties is measured it has only one specific value (which cannot be definitely predicted), and the wave function is therefore in just one specific state. This seems to be caused by the act of observation or measurement.
Q: What are some components of the Schrödinger equation?
A: The components of the Schrödinger equation include i which is equal to square root -1; ℏ which represents reduced Planck's constant; t which stands for time; x which represents position; Ψ (x , t) which stands for wave functions; and V(x) which represents potential energy as an as yet not chosen function of position.
Q: How do we interpret wave function collapse?
A: The exact cause and interpretation of wave function collapse is still widely debated in scientific community.
