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Visualizing Quantum Mechanics: Shaeema Zaman Ahmed Founder, Science Melting Pot

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23 views21 pages

Visualizing Quantum Mechanics: Shaeema Zaman Ahmed Founder, Science Melting Pot

Uploaded by

franklin.fenga
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Visualizing

Quantum Mechanics

Shaeema Zaman Ahmed


Founder, Science Melting Pot
My Journey

B.Sc, M.Sc. Physics


Science Educator & PhD Founder
Department of Physics &
Communicator, India
Astrophysics
Quantum Games Science
and Simulations, Education,
Marie-Curie EU project, Outreach,
Denmark Diversity
● What is quantum mechanics?
Outline ● Properties of a quantum system

● Quantum mechanics terminology

● Quantum harmonic oscillator


Quantum Mechanics
describes the physics
at the atomic scale
What makes a quantum system so special?

Different levels: Physical properties:

Like books on a shelf we Some of these levels may


can place electrons at react to different
different energy levels of parameters (like
an atom. electromagnetic fields or
vibrations).

State collapse:
Superposition:
When we observe the
The same book (particle) can system, the particle
be spread simultaneously appears instantly in just
through multiple levels. one of the levels where it
was.

Source: Adapted from Fernando Gago-Encinas, PhD student, FU Berlin


Double-Slit Experiment

Source: Quantum Kate, SDU Denmark


Key Points

● Superposition:
○ Being in two places at once/multiple quantum states at once!

● Wave-Particle Duality:
○ Electrons can be both waves and particles

● Role of Observer:
○ If we want to observe if it’s a wave or particle, then it chooses to be one !
○ Not observing 2 states at the same time, but one of these states with e.g. 50% chance
Source: Physics Reimagined (Univ. Paris-Saclay, CNRS)
Source: Physics Reimagined (Univ. Paris-Saclay, CNRS)
Source: Adapted from Compound Chem
Quantum Basics: Mathematical Terminology

Spatial dimension

Potential (For example: hard walls of a box )

Source: Pieter Kuiper, Wiki Commons


Hamiltonian (Total Energy)

Wavefunction:
Describes the state of a quantum object.
Quantum Basics ...
Gives us the probability of finding
Probability density a particle at a given time and
place
Wave Function & Probability Density

(a) 1s electrons can be "found" anywhere in this solid sphere, centered on the nucleus

(b) The electron density map plots the points where electrons could be. The higher density of dots indicates the
physical location in which the electron cloud is most dense

(c) Electron density is shown as a function of distance from the nucleus (r) as a graphical representation of the same
data used to generate figure b.

(d) The total probability of finding an electron is plotted as a function of distance from the nucleus (r).
Wavefunction describes
How do we know the state of a quantum
object

Plays the role of


Newton’s 2nd laws Schrödinger
in classical physics
Equation
(F = ma)
Quantum Basics

Spectrum

Each potential will give us a set of


energy states and energy values
that a quantum particle can have

Source: Wikimedia Commons


Energy is quantized: Discrete energy levels

Source: The Quantum Atlas


An example: Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

● Important model systems in


quantum mechanics

● The vibrations of a diatomic


molecule are an example of a
version of the quantum
harmonic oscillator.

Source: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/
Energy spectrum in different potentials

Each potential has its own spectrum of energy levels and their corresponding
wave functions

(a) (b) (c) (d)

Spacing between Spacing between


energy levels is
equal
energy levels is ? ?
increasing
Energy spectrum in different potentials

Each potential has its own spectrum of energy levels and their corresponding wave
functions

(a) (b) (c) (d)

spacing between spacing between spacing between spacing between energy


energy levels is energy levels is energy levels is levels is decreasing
equal increasing increasing
That’s all for today-Thank you!
For questions, reach out to me on Discord or email me at [email protected]

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