The transport properties of the probability fluid are investigated. The transport equation is derived as a generalization of the equation of continuity. This equation is used to examine the properties of the mass flux density, momentum flux density, and kinetic energy flux density of the probability fluid. It is shown that the transport equations of the probability fluid can be represented in a form identical to those of the classical, Eulerian fluid. It is also shown that the transport equations are differential forms of Ehrenfest’s theorem. Local conservation of the mass density and kinetic energy density for the stationary states are examined. Explicit expressions of the mass flux density and kinetic energy flux density are obtained for the 2p state of the hydrogen atom.
The transport properties of the probability fluid are investigated. The transport equation is derived as a generalization of the equation of continuity. This equation is used to examine the properties of the mass flux density, momentum flux density, and kinetic energy flux density of the probability fluid. It is shown that the transport equations of the probability fluid can be represented in a form identical to those of the classical, Eulerian fluid. It is also shown that the transport equations are differential forms of Ehrenfest’s theorem. Local conservation of the mass density and kinetic energy density for the stationary states are examined. Explicit expressions of the mass flux density and kinetic energy flux density are obtained for the 2p state of the hydrogen atom.
Abstract A formalism of classical mechanics is given for time-dependent many-body states of quantum mechanics, describing both fluid flow and point mass trajectories. The familiar equations of energy, motion, and those of Lagrangian mechanics are obtained. An energy and continuity equation is demonstrated to be equivalent to the real and imaginary parts of the time dependent Schrödinger equation, respectively, where the Schrödinger equation is in density matrix form. For certain stationary states, using Lagrangian mechanics and a Hamiltonian function for quantum mechanics, equations for point-mass trajectories are obtained. For 1-body states and fluid flows, the energy equation and equations of motion are the Bernoulli and Euler equations of fluid mechanics, respectively. Generalizations of the energy and Euler equations are derived to obtain equations that are in the same form as they are in classical mechanics. The fluid flow type is compressible, inviscid, irrotational, with the nonclassical element of local variable mass. Over all space mass is conserved. The variable mass is a necessary condition for the fluid flow to agree with the zero orbital angular momentum for s states of hydrogen. Cross flows are examined, where velocity directions are changed without changing the kinetic energy. For one-electron atoms, the velocity modification gives closed orbits for trajectories, and mass conservation, vortexes, and density stratification for fluid flows. For many body states, under certain conditions, and by hypotheses, Euler equations of orbital-flows are obtained. One-body Schrödinger equations that are a generalization of the Hartree–Fock equations are also obtained. These equations contain a quantum Coulomb’s law, involving the 2-body pair function of reduced density matrix theory that replace the charge densities.
A generalized Euler equation of fluid dynamics is derived for describing many-body states of quantum mechanics. The Eulerian Eq. can be viewed as representing the interaction of two substates, where each substate has its own velocity and pressure fields. These field quantities are given by maps of the wavefunction. For one-body systems, the Eulerian Eq. can model either a fluid or particle description of quantum states. The generalized Euler Eq. is shown to be the gradient of an equation representing the total-energy of the two substates, having two energy fields. This total-energy Eq. is a generalization of the Bernoulli Eq. of fluid dynamics. The total-energy Eq., along with a continuity-equation, is equivalent to the time-dependent Schroedinger Eq. An equation is also derived that is equivalent to the main equation of Bohmian mechanics with additional identifications: The quantum potential of Bohmian mechanics is given as a sum of a kinetic energy and pressure fields. Also, the time derivative of the wavefunction phase is replaced by an energy field. In the formalism, field quantities are identified from their placement in equations of classical mechanics and separately, by definitions that involve the wavefunction and operators of quantum mechanics. This approach yields, unintended, and unknown energy and pressure fields. These fields, however, are shown to satisfy a continuity Eq., an equation that is equivalent to the other equation of Bohmian mechanics. It is also demonstrated that energy conservation holds for both of these energy fields, if the wavefunction is a linear-combination of eigenvectors, where the eigenvectors can be nondegenerate. A detailed investigation is given on the possible behavior, or source, of an electron that has one of the velocity fields. Alternate formulae for this velocity fields are also considered.
Abstract A formalism is developed, and applied, that describes a class of one-body quantum mechanical systems as fluids where each stationary state is a steady flow state. The time-independent Schrödinger equation for one-body stationary states with real-valued wavefunctions is shown to be equivalent to a compressible-flow generalization of the Bernoulli equation of fluid dynamics. The mass density, velocity and pressure are taken as functions that are determined by the probability density. The generalized Bernoulli equation describes compressible, irrotational, steady flow with variable mass and a constant specific total energy, i.e, a constant energy per mass for each fluid element. The generalized Bernoulli equation and a generalized continuity equation provide a fluid dynamic interpretation of a class of quantum mechanical stationary states that is an alternative to the unrealistic, static-fluid interpretation provided by the Madelung equations and quantum hydrodynamics. The total kinetic energy from the Bernoulli equation is shown to be equal to the expectation value of the kinetic energy, and the integrand of the expectation value of the kinetic energy is given an interpretation. It is also demonstrated that variable mass is necessary for a satisfactory fluid model of stationary states. However, over all space, the flows conserve mass, because the rate of mass creation from the sources are equal to the rate of mass annihilation from the sinks. The following flows are examined: the ground and first excited-states of a particle in a one-dimensional box, the harmonic oscillator, and the hydrogen s states.
In Part II we noted that in the literature the Schrodinger equation is sometimes derived (e.g. (1)) from two fluid equations which follow from Boltzmann’s transport equation, namely the continuity equation (conservation of mass) and a conservation of momentum equation. We also suggested the following flow/flux equations for a free particle: d/dx partial A = p ((1a)) and d/dt partial A = -E ((1b)) or A=-Et+px a Lorentz invariant. For a quantum free particle one may convert these into eigenvalue equations (see Part II). For a bound state one has a system with no overall net momentum, but an overall energy. Thus one may expect the free particle quantum solution exp(-iEt) to still appear. In (1), u(x,t) = velocity field is defined as d/dx S(x,t) based on the idea of irrotational flow. We argued that for u(x,t)=0 S(x,t)=f(t) where t is any function which is ambiguous. Furthermore, in order to have the equations of (1) apply for a bound state S=-Et or in other words there is a principle that d/dt S = -E i.e ((1b)). In this note we examine both a free quantum particle and a bound state in terms of the fluid approach of (1). The result S=-Et remains, but in the case of the free particle ((1a)) emerges from dS/dx = u(x,t)=p. For the bound state overall p is 0, but S=-Et still holds. As a result there is a density from the fluid approach and a related stress potential which leads to a conservation of energy equation. The stress potential, however, is equal to the average kinetic energy at each x because E= W(x)+V(x) from (1). In (1) W(x) is calculated using assumptions linking sij = < (vi-ui)(vj-uj)> to derivatives of density. We calculate average kinetic energy directly using: P(p/x) = a(p)exp(ipx) / Wv(x) where Wv(x) =wavefunction = Sum over p a(p)exp(ipx). The two results are the same.
Many-body quantum-mechanical stationary states that have real valued wavefunctions are shown to satisfy a classical conservation of energy equation with a kinetic energy function. The terms in the equation depend on the probability distribution, and, in addition, pressure and velocity functions, but these functions also depend on the probability distribution. There are two possible directions of the velocity that satisfy the energy equation. A linear momentum function is defined that integrates to zero, and this property is consistent with the expectation value of the linear momentum for stationary states with real-valued wave functions. The energy equation is integrated to obtain a version of the well known energy equation involving reduced density matrices, where the kinetic energy functional of the one-particle density matrix is replaced by a function of the electron density and a velocity function. Also, the noninteracting kinetic energy functional from the Hohenberg--Kohn theorem is given as an explicit functional of the orbital densities. For the purpose of describing the behavior of particles in a stationary state, a model based on the energy equation is constructed. The model is evaluated for the two different velocity directions using the grounds state of the particle in a one-dimensional box and the hydrogen atom. For one velocity direction, equations of motions with contradictory properties are obtained, and, in the other, an unstable system is found. A discussion is given with suggestions of additional elements that might improve the model.
It is shown that the imaginary part of ψ*Pψ plays a crucial role in describing the dispersive properties of probability densities in quantum mechanics. The quantity Im(ψ*Pψ) is proportional to the dispersive velocity of the probability density and has the same form as the diffusion current. The dispersive velocity does not contribute to the expectation value of the momentum operator, but contributes to the expectation value of the kinetic energy operator. The interpretation of the dispersive velocity is given for the one-dimensional Gaussian wave packet, the stationary states of a particle in a one-dimensional box, and the stationary states of the hydrogen atom.