written by Mario Belloni and Wolfgang Christian

This self-contained file contains Open Source Physics programs for the teaching of time evolution and visualization of quantum-mechanical bound states. The suite of programs is based on the ability to expand an arbitrary wave function in terms of basis vectors in a reduced Hilbert space (the superposition principle). One can choose from several real-time visualizations, such as the position and momentum expectation values and the Wigner quasi-probability distribution for position and momentum. We describe how these tools can be used to study the long-term time-dependent properties of quantum-mechanical systems.

The materials and text of this resource appeared in an article of the same name in the Theme Double-Issue on Computation and Computer-based Instruction in the American Journal of Physics [Am. J. Phys. 76, No. 4&5, pp. 385-392 (2008)].

The jar file's content includes an interactive version of the AJP paper and additional curricular materials and resources.

• Download ajp_reduced_hilbert.jar - 3986kb Java Archive File

Last Modified May 18, 2008

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