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Glossary

Quantum glossary

Schrödinger equation

The equation that governs how a quantum state changes in time.

Its time-independent form gives the allowed energies of bound systems — the particle in a box, the harmonic oscillator, the hydrogen atom. Its evolution is unitary and reversible; only measurement is not.

iħ ∂ψ/∂t = −(ħ²/2m)∇²ψ + Vψ

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Related terms

  • Hamiltonian — The operator for a system’s total energy; it determines how the state evolves in time.
  • Wavefunction — The function ψ(x) giving the amplitude for a particle to be found at each position.