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The wave equation of Schroendinger has been shown to be an accurate means to describe an electron within an electric field*. It's key feature -- the 'psi' of the equation -- was shown by Heisenberg and Born to be related to the probability of finding an electron at a specific point at a specific time. If one solved the wave equation for a given E-field, and then used that result to calculate the probability of an electron being at a point, one could accurately predict that probability.
A "wave packet" is simply a mathematical description of a group of electrons travelling in an E-field. As always, the packet represent the odds of finding an electron at a specific place at a specific time. By solving the Schroendinger Equation for this packet (for those few cases where doing so is possible) and then using the latter insight of Heisenberg and Born, you can accurately describe probabilities.
Note my consistent use of the words "probability" or "odds." In QM you can NOT determine where an electron WILL go, only the odds of it going somewhere over time. This is NOT due to our lack of cleverness or precise measuring machines, it's an inherent fact of our Universe.
* Actually, it COULD be used for any particle under any Hamiltonian, but its only usefulness is with electrons in an E-field.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoWave packets is a term used to rectify the wave particle duality or light and matter. A wave packet is simply a group of coinciding waves that is used to represent a particle.
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Sample of trivia for physics?
The only rock that floats in water is pumiceAll moving objects are merely wave packets of extremely high frequency.
What model of light does the polarization of light support Explain?
The wave model. More specifically, it shows that light is a transverse wave - a longitudonal wave can't be polarized.
What kind of book is the wave?
If you mean wave by Eric Walters than it is Juvenile Fiction! If you mean another book called wave then sorry I cannot answer that! I only know wave by Eric Walters!
Is a tsunami one big wave explain why?
Not necessarily. A tsunami can also be a series of waves.
The wave-mechanical model of the atom is required to explain the?
spectra of elements with multi-electron atoms
Explain what the amplitude of a water wave is?
the maxium distance the particals of the medium carrying a wave move away from their mean position
Explain the difference between a wave and a wavelength?
A wave is a normal wave and a wave length is the wave Height or distance
What term is used to describe the fact that electromagnetic radiation can be thought of as either a continuous wave or as a stream of individual packets of energy?
wave-particle duality
What is one way that light differs from sound?
sound is a wave. while light has wave-particle duality. It acts like a wave but consisting of tiny packets (particles) called photons. hope this helps.
What has the author M A Weissman written?
M. A. Weissman has written: 'Nonlinear wave packets in Kelvin-Helmholtz flow'
What has the author Christoph Thiele written?
Christoph Thiele has written: 'Wave packet analysis' -- subject(s): Linear operators, Walsh functions, Wave packets, Wavelets (Mathematics)
Plank and Einstein explain that light is both a wave and a?
A wave and a particle. Or maybe neither.
What describes the natue of light?
In physics, light can be thought of as packets of particles called photons. Light also has a wave nature.
Must a wave be transverse or longitudinal explain?
A wave must be transverse or longitudinal or both.
Where can wave power be found explain in detail?
in the sea
Which idea did Einstein first purpose to explain the photoelectric effect and the result of double-slit experiments?
Einstein first proposed the idea of photons as discrete packets of light energy to explain the photoelectric effect. According to his hypothesis, light is composed of individual particles called photons that transfer their energy to electrons upon striking a material surface. Additionally, Einstein's explanation of the double-slit experiments involved the concept of wave-particle duality, stating that light exhibits both wave-like and particle-like properties.
Are data packets only for emails?
If you mean TCP or UDP data packets, then no, they make up every data transmission on the net.
