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The equation was postulated by Schrödinger based on a postulate of Louis de Broglie that all matter has an associated matter wave. The equation predicted bound states of the atom in agreement with experimental observations. [4]: II:268 The Schrödinger equation is not the only way to study quantum mechanical systems and make predictions.
The Schrödinger equation determines how wave functions evolve over time, and a wave function behaves qualitatively like other waves, such as water waves or waves on a string, because the Schrödinger equation is mathematically a type of wave equation. This explains the name "wave function", and gives rise to wave–particle duality.
The significance ascribed to the wave function varies from interpretation to interpretation and even within an interpretation (such as the Copenhagen interpretation). If the wave function merely encodes an observer's knowledge of the universe, then the wave function collapse corresponds to the receipt of new information.
The wave packet becomes more de-localized: it is now on both sides of the barrier and lower in maximum amplitude, but equal in integrated square-magnitude, meaning that the probability the particle is somewhere remains unity. The wider the barrier and the higher the barrier energy, the lower the probability of tunneling.
The quantum wave equation can be solved using functions of position, (), or using functions of momentum, () and consequently the superposition of momentum functions are also solutions: = + The position and momentum solutions are related by a linear transformation, a Fourier transformation. This transformation is itself a quantum superposition ...
The time-independent Schrödinger equation for the wave function is ^ = [+ ()] = (), where Ĥ is the Hamiltonian, ħ is the reduced Planck constant, m is the mass, E the energy of the particle. The step potential is simply the product of V 0 , the height of the barrier, and the Heaviside step function : V ( x ) = { 0 , x < 0 V 0 , x ≥ 0 ...
In classical wave-physics, this effect is known as evanescent wave coupling. The likelihood that the particle will pass through the barrier is given by the transmission coefficient, whereas the likelihood that it is reflected is given by the reflection coefficient. Schrödinger's wave-equation allows these coefficients to be calculated.
In quantum mechanics, the Schrödinger equation describes how a system changes with time. It does this by relating changes in the state of the system to the energy in the system (given by an operator called the Hamiltonian). Therefore, once the Hamiltonian is known, the time dynamics are in principle known.