Problem 1: Free Particle
Let’s solve the free particle
I guess
Newton’s Law $ F = ma$
$ d^2 x / dt^2=0$
Hence $ x = x_0 + vt$
At least that works. Not sure I derived it particularly. Or proved it unique.
Whatever. Lagrangian version
$ L = T-V = \frac{1}{2}mv^2$
Euler Lagrange Equations
$ \frac{d}{dt} \partial L / \partial \dot{q} = \partial_q L$
How do you get that? By varying the action with fixed endpoints it’s the one that minimizes the path.
$ S = \int L dt = \int \partial/\partial\dot{q} L \delta \dot{q} + \partial_q L \delta q$
Nice.
$ H = \frac{p^2}{2m}$
$ \dot{p}=-\partial_x H=0$
$ p = Const$
$ \dot{x}=\partial_p H=\frac{p}{m}$
Okay. What about the quantum version?
Well $ p = \frac{\hbar}{i}\partial_x$
How do I know that? In particular it’s hard to remember where the i goes. Well, I memorized it at some point. It follows that
$ [x,p]=-\hbar/i$
But what is
$ i \partial_t \psi = -\frac{\hbar^2}{2m}\nabla^2 \psi$
$ E\psi = $
Whatever. I’m bored.
Maybe I’ll do the path integral some other day