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by Ciro Santilli (@cirosantilli, 25)
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Why are complex numbers used in the Schrodinger equation?

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Ciro's 10 cents: physics.stackexchange.com/questions/32422/qm-without-complex-numbers/557600#557600
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Why is there a complex number in the equation? Intuitively and mathematically:
  • physics.stackexchange.com/questions/8062/about-the-complex-nature-of-the-wave-function
  • physics.stackexchange.com/questions/32422/qm-without-complex-numbers/557600#557600
  • physics.stackexchange.com/questions/292947/is-it-possible-to-formulate-the-schr%C3%B6dinger-equation-in-a-manner-that-excludes-i
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Some ideas:
  • explicit scalar form of the Maxwell's equations
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Video 1. Necessity of complex numbers in the Schrödinger equation by Barton Zwiebach (2017) Source.
This useless video doesn't really explain anything, he just says "it's needed because the equation has an i in it".
The real explanation is: they are not needed, they just allow us to write the equation in a shorter form, which is always a win: physics.stackexchange.com/questions/32422/qm-without-complex-numbers/557600#557600

 Ancestors

  1. Derivation of the Schrodinger equation
  2. Schrödinger equation
  3. Non-relativistic quantum mechanics
  4. Quantum mechanics
  5. Particle physics
  6. Physics
  7. Natural science
  8. Science
  9. Index

 Incoming links

  • Derivation of the Schrodinger equation
  • Dirac equation
  • Programmer's model of quantum computers
  • System of partial differential equations

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