Deriving Time Dependent & Independent Schrodinger Equations, Classical and Hamilton Jacobi Equations
Deriving Time Dependent & Independent Schrodinger Equations, Classical and Hamilton Jacobi Equations
Deriving Time Dependent & Independent Schrodinger Equations, Classical and Hamilton Jacobi Equations
ISSN 1583-1078
p. 31-48
[email protected]; [email protected]
*Corresponding author, phone: +919420808535
Abstract
The concept of time dependent Schrdinger equation (TDSE) illustrated in
literature and even during class room teaching is mostly either complex or
meant for advanced learners. This article is intended to enlighten the concept
to the beginners in the field and further to improve knowledge about detailed
steps for abstract mathematical formulation used which helps in understanding
to derive TDSE using various tools and in more comprehensible manner. It is
shown that TDSE may be derived using wave mechanics, time independent
equation, classical & Hamilton-Jacobis equations. Similar attempts have been
done earlier by some researchers. However, this article provides a
comprehensive, lucid and well derived derivation, derived using various
approaches, which would make this article unique.
Keywords
Schrdinger wave equation; Simple harmonic motion; Hamilton-Jacobis
equation
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Deriving time dependent Schrdinger equation from Wave-Mechanics, Schrdinger time independent
Nilesh P. BARDE, Sandeep D. PATIL, Pravin M. KOKNE, Pranav P. BARDAPURKAR
Introduction
Quantum Mechanics is an essential part of undergraduate syllabus in Physics as well
as in Chemistry. This specialized branch of physics mainly deals with subatomic particles and
the era where Newtonian laws are not obeyed.
While a student is uplifted from higher secondary level to graduate classes, he has a
high impact and firm belief in classical mechanics and Newtonian laws. Many terms in
quantum mechanics are contradictory to their classical counterparts. This underlines the
importance and need of a focussed a step-down approach to teach the new notions. The most
crucial part of quantum mechanics comes when a teacher has to deal with what is called
Schrdingers equations (SE) and the most regretful saga is that in most of the cases, this is
dealt as a black box and hardly any efforts are taken to derive them following the known to
unknown path.
In fact, it is expected that a teacher should start from the familiar concepts in classical
mechanics and should land down with derivation of these equations giving the physical
significance meaningfully. Same is the approach followed in many of the standard books.
Many researchers, educationalists have attempted to bridge this gap and tried to give
derivations of SE starting from many fundamental principles. However, again many of such
attempts are thorny for undergraduate students. [1-9]
This pitfall itself is the motivation for the present work. Although similar attempts
have been done by many researchers, this article has a primitive thrust to provide the
derivation of SE giving detailed description with deduction of every small step involved in
deriving it. Further, it is intended that the reader should get introduced with a variety of ways
to derive the SE, with a least prerequisite knowledge of quantum mechanics.
This article provides the simplified derivation of Time Dependent Schrdingers
Equation starting from wave mechanics, Schrdinger Time Independent Equation, classical
and Hamilton-Jacobi equations.
On Schrdingers equation
In1924, de-Broglie suggested that every moving particle has a wave associated with it,
which is also known as matter wave. Further, Erwin Schrdinger in continuation to deBroglies hypothesis introduced a differential wave equation of second order to explain the
wave nature of matter and particle associated to wave. This equation is analogous to the
equation for waves in optics, which assumes that the particle behaves as wave and yields
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ISSN 1583-1078
p. 31-48
solution in terms of a function called the wave function. When this equation is solved, it gives
two things; namely the wave function and the energy E, of the particle under consideration.
Once the wave function is known, then everything about the particle is known or can be
deduced from the wave function. Thus, the wave function is the most important thing,
which itself does not have any physical significance, however the absolute square of , i.e.
||2 gives the probability of finding the particle in a particular region of space at a particular
instant of time. The term E in the equation is the energy of the particle depending upon the
potential V and boundary conditions (constraints on the particle) can be continuous or
quantized. Quantization of energy of the particle is a remarkable feature of the quantum
mechanics i.e. a particle cannot have any energy or continuous energy, but can have only that
permitted energy described by Schrdinger equation together with the potential V and the
boundary conditions [10, 11].
Schrdingers equation was very much popular, though initially it was questioned by
scientific community due to its limitation regarding non-relativistic particles. Heisenberg
developed a matrix mechanics in which physical quantities are explained in terms of Eigen
values of the matrix [6]. The mathematical equations in equivalence to matrix mechanics were
successfully shown by Schrdinger in the series of papers published in 1926; the theory later
on was consequently called as wave mechanics. Heisenbergs matrix mechanics and
Schrdingers wave mechanics were known to be two different descriptions of quantum
mechanics [10-16].
Basically Schrdinger equations have two forms: one consisting of time termed as
time dependent equation and the other in which time factor is eliminated and hence named as
time independent equation [17-21].
33
Deriving time dependent Schrdinger equation from Wave-Mechanics, Schrdinger time independent
Nilesh P. BARDE, Sandeep D. PATIL, Pravin M. KOKNE, Pranav P. BARDAPURKAR
y = A sin ( t )
which can further be modified to
y = A sin
2v x
t
v
= Ae
i t
v
(1)
= Ae
= Ae
i2 t
(2)
i2 t
(3)
h
2
Thus, =
E
2h
Also, =
h 2h
(by de-Broglies hypothesis)
=
p
p
= Ae
= Ae
= Ae
34
xp
Et
i2
2 h
2 h
i 2
(Et xp)
2 h
i
(Et xp)
h
(4)
ISSN 1583-1078
p. 31-48
E=
1
2
mv 2 +V =
m2 v2
p2
+V
+V =
2m
2m
p2
E =
+ V
2m
(5)
= A e h
h
x
(6)
x 2
h2
(7)
(8)
= Ae h
t
h
(9)
iE
=
t
h
E =
h
i t
(10)
(11)
35
Deriving time dependent Schrdinger equation from Wave-Mechanics, Schrdinger time independent
Nilesh P. BARDE, Sandeep D. PATIL, Pravin M. KOKNE, Pranav P. BARDAPURKAR
h
h 2
=
+ V
i t
2m x 2
(12)
(13)
Equation (13) is the one dimensional TDSE. The same can be written in three
dimensions as
h
h2 2
=
V
i t
2m
where 2 =
(14)
2
2
2
+
+
is a Laplacian operator.
x 2 y2 z2
Thus, the Time Dependent Schrdinger Equation, TDSE, can be derived from the
wave mechanics considering the equations for a particle describing S.H.M. This derivation
has its own importance as it paves the way from classical to quantum mechanics.
Using Schrdingers time independent equation
2m
(E V) = 0
h2
(15)
(16)
where, A is amplitude of the wave, is an angular frequency and t is the time period.
Differentiating equation (16) w.r. to t,
= iA e it = i ( 2 ) A e it
t
(17)
i.e., as E = h
2E
2E
it
= i
= i
A e
t
h
h
h
i 2 h ih
E =
=
=
= ih
i 2 t
i 2 t
2 t
t
Hence, equation (15) becomes,
36
(18)
ISSN 1583-1078
p. 31-48
2 +
2mE
2mV
2 = 0
2
h
h
2 +
2
(19)
2m 2mV
ih
2 =0
t
h2
h
2mV
2m
= 2 ih
2
t
h
h
(20)
h2 2
+ V = i h
t
2m
The above equation represents TDSE with the term:
h2 2
+ V = H as the Hamiltonian operator.
2m
Thus, the two legendary equations have a fair connection. These two equations are like
statics and dynamics in classical mechanics, hence, derivability of the time dependent
equation from the time independent form is much significant.
=0
x 2
c 2 t 2
(21)
where, E is the energy of the wave, c is the velocity of light and t is the time, for a wave
propagating in x-direction. The above equation is derived from Maxwells equations which
governs EM waves in electrodynamics [9]. The solution is a plane wave solution which
satisfies the above equation represented as
E(x, t) = E0ei(kx-t)
(22)
(23)
(24)
37
Deriving time dependent Schrdinger equation from Wave-Mechanics, Schrdinger time independent
Nilesh P. BARDE, Sandeep D. PATIL, Pravin M. KOKNE, Pranav P. BARDAPURKAR
E
= E 0 ( i ) ei( kx t )
t
(25)
(26)
i ( kx t )
2
2
=0
E 0 k + 2 E 0 e
c
2 2
i ( kx t )
=0
k + 2 E 0 e
c
k2 =
(27)
=
,
k
c
c2
As, c =
E = h = 2 h
E = h
(28)
h
2h
2h
p= =
=
= hk
(c / )
c
Equation (22) becomes,
E( x, t ) = E 0
p E
i( x t )
h
h
e
= E0
i
( px Et )
h
e
(29)
x
h
(30)
e
0
x 2
h2
(31)
t
h
e
0
2
2
t
h
38
(32)
ISSN 1583-1078
p. 31-48
i
( px Et )
2
1 2
h
E
e
=0
2
2
2 0
c t
x
i
( px Et )
p2
E2
h
E
e
=0
2
2 2 0
hc
h
i
( px Et )
1 2 E2
h
p
E
e
=0
2
2 0
c
h
p2
E2
=0
c2
E2 = p2c2
(33)
Now, the relativistic mass of a particle with rest mass mo, is given by
mo
m=
v2
c2
m2 =
v2
c2
v2
4
c
1
Multiplying the above equation by
2
c ,
v2
m c 1 2 = m o2 c 4
c
2 4
m 2 c 2 ( c 2 v 2 ) = m o2 c 4
m 2 c 4 p 2 v 2 = m o2 c 4
m 2 c 4 p 2 v 2 = m o2 c 4
(34)
Thus for an EM wave, considering E = mc2, equation (34) takes the formE 2 = p 2 c 2 + m o2 c 4
(35)
Deriving time dependent Schrdinger equation from Wave-Mechanics, Schrdinger time independent
Nilesh P. BARDE, Sandeep D. PATIL, Pravin M. KOKNE, Pranav P. BARDAPURKAR
p2
E = p c + m c = m c 1 + 2 2
mc
2 2
2 4
E = mc 2 1 +
2 4
p2
m2c2
p2
E = mc 2 1 +
2 2
2m c
p2
(mv) 2
= mc 2 +
= mc 2 + T
2m
2m
(36)
( x, t ) = 0 e
i
( px Et )
h
(37)
( x, t ) = 0 e h
px (mc2 + T)t
( x, t ) = 0 e
( x, t ) = 0 e
i
px mc2 t + Tt
h
imc2 t
h
eh
( px Tt )
( px Tt )
(38)
imc2 t
h
velocity can never be greater than that of the light, it is obvious that the former term will
oscillate faster than the later.
Now, equation (38) can be written as
( x, t ) = e
i
where, = 0 e h
imc 2 t
h
( px Tt )
40
(39)
ISSN 1583-1078
p. 31-48
t
t
t
2
m 2c 4 imc
2i 2 imc
imc
2
h
h
h
= 2 e
mc e
+e
t 2
t
t 2
h
h
2
(40)
The second term in the above equation is much smaller than that of first term.
E2
Using E = p c + m c i.e. 2 = p 2 + m 2 c 2 and E0 in equation (33),
c
2
2 2
2 4
i
( px Et )
1 2 E2
2 2
h
=0
p
m
c
e
2
2
c
h
(41)
2
h
and E
2
x
i t
2
i
( px Et )
1 2 2
1 h
2 2
h
h
m
c
e
+
+
=0
2
2
2
h
c i t
x
i
( px Et )
1 2 2 h2 2
2 2
h
2 h
+ 2 2 + m c e
=0
2
h
c t
x
(42)
i
( px Et )
2
1 2 m2c2
h
e
=0
2
2
2
2
c t
h
x
Neglecting small terms from equation (40) and using large terms in equation (42),
2
2
t
t
2
1 m 2 c 2 imc
2i 2 imc
m 2 c 2
h
h
mc e
2 = 0
2 2 2 e
c h
h
h
t
x
imc t
2 m 2 imc t 2i
m 2 c2
h
h
e
me
+
+
2 = 0
2
h2
h
h
t
x
2
2 2i
+ m
= 0 by neglecting two terms
x 2 h
t
2
2i
= m
2
x
t
h
2 2i
= 2 mh
2
h
x
t
h 2 2
= ih
2
2m x
t
(43)
Equation (43) is the TDSE in 1-D without potential energy term. In 3-D form it
modifies to
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Deriving time dependent Schrdinger equation from Wave-Mechanics, Schrdinger time independent
Nilesh P. BARDE, Sandeep D. PATIL, Pravin M. KOKNE, Pranav P. BARDAPURKAR
h2 2
= ih
2m
t
2
2
2
where = 2 + 2 + 2 is a Laplacian operator.
x y z
(44)
This approach of deriving TDSE from classical wave equation is important as this
helps the students to understand the interlinkage between the classical theory of
electrodynamics and the modern quantum mechanics.
(45)
where, H is the Hamilton of the system at any instant t [9]. The canonical transformed coordinates
Qi and momenta Pi for n-dimensional system satisfies the Hamilton equation as
k
dQi k
dP
=
and i =
Pi
Qi
dt
dt
(46)
dF
dt
(47)
dS
=0
dt
(48)
S
S
and pi =
Pi
q i
42
(49)
ISSN 1583-1078
p. 31-48
S ds
H qi ,
,t + = 0
q i dt
(50)
S
=0
+V+
t
(51)
1
S( X,t )
log ( X, t ) = log e h
S( X,t )
1
log ( X, t ) = S ( X, t ) log e
h
h
S ( X, t ) = ln
i
(52)
(natural log)
S = ih ln
where, X = (x,y,z) is the space coordinate.
Differentiating equation (52) w.r. to x,y,z and t,
S
ih S
ih S
ih S
ih
=
;
=
;
=
;
=
x
x y
y x
x t
t
(53)
S
=
x
i h x
i S
=
x
h x
(54)
2 i S i 2S
=
+
x 2 h x x h x 2
Differentiating momentum coordinate equation from equation (49) w.r.to x by taking I
q x,
(m xt )
&
2S p x (mx)
2x
=
=
=
=
m
=0
x 2
x
x
x
x t
(55)
43
Deriving time dependent Schrdinger equation from Wave-Mechanics, Schrdinger time independent
Nilesh P. BARDE, Sandeep D. PATIL, Pravin M. KOKNE, Pranav P. BARDAPURKAR
S
ih
=
x
x
(56)
S
=
x
i h x
+ 0
x 2 h x ih x h
2
S
= 2
2
x
h x
(57)
h 2 2
S
=
x 2
x
2
S
h 2 2
h 2 2
S
and
=
y 2
z 2
z
Similarly, y
2
(58)
Using equation (53) for t, equation (57) and (58) in equation (51)
1 h2 2
2
2
+
+
2m x 2 y 2 z 2
ih
=0
+ V
t
h2 2
ih
+ V
=0
2m
t
h2 2
ih
+ V =
2m
t
(59)
h
h2 2
=
+ V
i t
2m
The above equation is Time Dependent Schrdinger Equation in 3-D form. The
Hamilton-Jacobi equation is basically related to classical mechanics and is particularly used
where conserved quantities mechanical systems are to be identified. Deriving TDSE with this
methodology helps to have similar treatment in quantum mechanics too.
Applications
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ISSN 1583-1078
p. 31-48
This is the case where the particle is not subjected to any forces and is completely
unconfined. The potential energy of a free particle is constant and can be chosen to be zero.
The SE can be set up and solved for such free particle and the allowed energy levels can be
determined.
3. Solutions to the problems related to tunnelling of a particle from different
energy levels.
This is the fundamental basis for the modern characterization technique called
Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy. SE can be used to comprehend the tunnelling or
penetration of electrons through different energy levels.
The tunnelling current can be determined using solution to SE. Further, as the
tunnelling current has a strong dependence on the surface morphology, the technique can then
be directly applied to map the surface topography of a specimen.
4. Solutions to the problems related to step potential, square well potential in
1-D with different conditions for a particle.
45
Deriving time dependent Schrdinger equation from Wave-Mechanics, Schrdinger time independent
Nilesh P. BARDE, Sandeep D. PATIL, Pravin M. KOKNE, Pranav P. BARDAPURKAR
on the basis of energy of the particle which can be obtained only by solving SE. This
underlines the utmost application.
5. Solutions to the problems related to a harmonic oscillator.
Conclusions
Acknowledgements
Authors (NPB, PPB) would like to thank Dr. R.S. Yennawar and Dr. S. A. Arote for
the fruitful discussions and suggestions to enrich the manuscript
References
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46
2.
ISSN 1583-1078
p. 31-48
Bodurov T., Derivation of the Nonlinear Schrdinger Equation from First Principles,
Annales de la Fondation Louis de Broglie, 2005, 30(3-4), p. 343-352.
3.
4.
Piece P., Another Schrodinger Derivation of the Equation, Eur. J. Phys. 1996, 17, p. 116117.
5.
Ogborn J., Taylor E. F., Quantum Physics Explains Newtons Laws of Motion, Phys.
Educ. 2005, 40(1), p. 26-34.
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8.
Hall M. J. W., Reginatto M., Schrodinger Equation from an Exact Uncertainty Principle,
J. Phys. A, 2002, 35, p. 3289-3303.
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Jackson J. D., Classical Electrodynamics, Wiley, New York, 3rd ed, 1999.
16. Vic Dannon H. Wave Particle Duality: de Broglie Waves and Incertainity, Gauge Institute
Journal, 2006, 2(4), p. 1-19.
17. Briggs J. S., Rost J. M., On the Derivation of Time Dependent Equation of Schrdinger,
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Deriving time dependent Schrdinger equation from Wave-Mechanics, Schrdinger time independent
Nilesh P. BARDE, Sandeep D. PATIL, Pravin M. KOKNE, Pranav P. BARDAPURKAR
48