Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: pushkar on 03/04/2010 09:21:09
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why the energy of rigid rotator is the sum of two energy terms
MOD EDIT - ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAVE STARTED A THREAD WITHOUT USING A QUESTION IN THE SUBJECT BOX - THE BOX SAYS "YOUR QUESTION" - KINDLY PUT A QUESTION IN THERE IN FUTURE.
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why the energy of rigid rotator is the sum of two energy terms
What do you mean with rigid rotator? Which are the terms you are referring to (I know you probably have studied those only, but this doesn't mean there aren't other terms in general and other meanings for "rigid rotator" in physics).
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hi lightarrow
i mean rigid rotator in quantum mechanics.As there is explanation for two energy terms of simple harmonic oscillator is there any explanation for two energy terms involved in total energy of rigid rotator?
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In general the background physical principals of quantum processes are just the same as classical processes so the roots of the process are probably similar.
When you talk about the two energy terms of a classical harmonic oscillator I presume you mean the tradeoff between potential and kinetic energy in a machanical oscillator
For example for a simple pendulum the hight of the bob of the pendulum above its lowest point at the end of the swing and the speed of the bob as it passes through the lowest point.
All oscillators involve moving energy between two different forms (usually potential and kinetic) and quantum oscillators are no different. Note PE and KE are not the only possibilities. chemical oscillators can just involve the moving of energy between two different molecular structures.
An example of a simple quantum oscillator is of course a photon where energy is being transferred between the energy stored in an electrical field as a charge and the energy stored in a magnetic field as current flow (motion of charge)
Pushkar it would hep a lot if you described your questions in more detail and not mak us do so much work reverse engineering them to work out what you really mean. Because even now I may not have got what you really want explainig.
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hi soul surfer
i am very sorry that my question was not stated explicitly.I mean that in the expression for energy of oscillator involving sum of two energy terms second energy terms is called zero point energy similarly is there any significance attached two rigid rotator energy which is also sum of two energy terms
thanks for your effort
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I am not familiar with the analysis to which you are referring can you please site a reference where a verbal and mathematical explanation of the topic is given.
I am aware of the concept of zero point energy as an aspect of the quantum mechanical vacuum and the source of hawking radiation from a black hole and can see how this might fit with what I have stated in my previous posting on this topic but i would like to check on some authoratative background.