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Thursday, July 7, 2016

Why Are Quantum Energy Levels Discrete?

Why are quantum energy levels discrete in a potential well? What started out as a mathematical trick invented by Max Planck has become an established idea. Energies at the quantum level increase and decrease by integer multiples (n) of fh (frequency times Planck's constant). Let's plot a diagram to see what we can make of it.

The diagram above has a stair-step shape as energy levels go from n = 1 to n = 4. But what happens if we lay it on its side?

Now it looks like some sort of binary, oscillating wave. Let's smooth out the rough edges.

Yes, it most definitely looks like a wave. This is consistent with the fact that quanta are particle-waves. Since particles can behave like waves, it makes perfect sense that changes in energy would behave like waves as well. We measure the energy level when the wave peaks, and no energy is added or subtracted until the next peak.

Update: Below is a possible mathematical formula for the purpose of describing the wave-like character of changing energy levels.

It is the absolute value of a sine wave raised to the power of infinity. This causes all values to be zero or one. When the value is one, n increases or decreases by q; otherwise there is no change in n.

3 comments:

  1. Quite very interesting. Receive my congratulations. This discrete pattern is seen in the whole universe. For instance similar or familiar living species have not intermediate representatives interspecie existing any being or group. For instnce among horses and donkeys there are not the may be several intermediate horsydonkyes or whatever it could be called. Precisely, biologists have demonstrated thah a supspecia donky appears when surrounding conditions, or heighbourhood conditions are special for de acceptance of particular mutations by living descendents of "neohorses". And they say it is not so dificult. Immediately when change conditions "appearance of a new 'nicho'" in spanish, immediately new mutations appear end perdure. Look it for more details at wikipedia. For sure, there is a lot more exemples than tihis. Thank you.

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  2. Apologize for not giving more details and for gramatic and orthografic mistakes in text. Thank you.

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