The Free Particle. The Time-Dependent Schrödinger Equation
Ana Marı́a Cetto, Luis de la Peña
Chapter 7 is devoted to the free particle and the derivation of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The free particle might be thought to be the simplest quantum problem of all, but a detailed treatment of it, including both Born and Dirac normalization, serves to highlight some surprising features. Powerful tools are introduced that are of wider application, notably the Green function method and the Feynman propagator. This material paves the way for the study of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation, the introduction of the current density of particles and the distinction between pure states and mixtures; the equation is applied specifically to the study of coherent states. The chapter ends with an introduction to the propagator in the general case.
Cambridge University Press eBooks•Dec 18, 2025•0 citations