I have this problem and i need help to solve it


Three identical particles are in an infinite square well. Write the wave functions (ignore spin states) of the system for the ground statee, first excited state and second excited state if these particles are bosons and fermions.

The key to this problem is obviously the Bose or Fermi symmetry requirements on the wavefunction, right? Let's start with the ground state. What is the ground state energy of the 3 boson system? What about for the Fermi system? To answer these questions, make a naive guess as to what the lowest energy state will be and then symmetrize or antisymmetrize the result.

You can't really ignore the spin states, since a spin-3/2 particle will have a different ground state from a spin-1/2.

Just when I started to wonder why I abandoned this cesspool of a forum for 5 months, along comes a post to remind me exactly why I did it.

read the post " the Real Universe," it explains ?? how the quantum-gap works like a lens to project the universe.

No, confusedalot, don't bother reading "the Real Universe". It doesn't explain anything, and it certainly won't help you with your assignment. If you want to read something that isn't mental masturbation and that will help you understand your problem, read Chapter 6 of Sakurai's Modern Quantum Mechanics to learn about how to handle identical particles. You ought to listen to Physics Monkey and you really ought to post your questions at http://www.physicsforums.com . (Don't worry, Physics Monkey posts there too.).

Honestly, I thought this place was bad enough before. But now that crackpots are allowed to interfere with students asking legitimate physics questions, this place has finally hit rock bottom. The Physics and Math forum should bear the subtitle, "Abandon all hope ye who enter here."

"Intelligent Community" my ass.

You can't really ignore the spin states, since a spin-3/2 particle will have a different ground state from a spin-1/2.

The clause "ignore spin states" can usually be interpreted as "assume the particles are spinless". I am supposing that that is what is meant here.

Just when I started to wonder why I abandoned this cesspool of a forum for 5 months, along comes a post to remind me exactly why I did it.



No, confusedalot, don't bother reading "the Real Universe". It doesn't explain anything, and it certainly won't help you with your assignment. If you want to read something that isn't mental masturbation and that will help you understand your problem, read Chapter 6 of Sakurai's Modern Quantum Mechanics to learn about how to handle identical particles. You ought to listen to Physics Monkey and you really ought to post your questions at http://www.physicsforums.com . (Don't worry, Physics Monkey posts there too.).

Honestly, I thought this place was bad enough before. But now that crackpots are allowed to interfere with students asking legitimate physics questions, this place has finally hit rock bottom. The Physics and Math forum should bear the subtitle, "Abandon all hope ye who enter here."

"Intelligent Community" my ass.

Negitive expressions yeld little results. Anger managment may be somthing that might help you.

Negitive expressions yeld little results.


Did you eat the fortune cookie after reading that?

If confusedalot is warded off from the crank who is trying to hijack his thread then I will have achieved the only result I am looking for, thank you very much. Sometimes negative expressions are called for, and in my opinion screwing around with a kid looking for homework help is one of those times.


Anger managment may be somthing that might help you.

Blow it out your arse. :p

Tom2:

You seem to have a few "issues". If you don't like sciforums, stay at physicsforums - it's a good place, and you obviously like it.

But nobody here is really going to be interested in your whinging.

If you don't like sciforums, stay at physicsforums


I've resolved to only post here when I see a student asking a question, so you'll only see my posts in "homework" threads. And you're right, I do have an issue. I get really agitated when I see student's questions answered with crackpottery. I am both dismayed and astounded that you permit it. But I do realize that I am not going to change your mind, so I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree about that.


But nobody here is really going to be interested in your whinging.


Is my position really that unreasonable? I stopped complaining about the crackpottery all over this place a long time ago. Now all I'm doing is complaining when it infests--of all things--a homework thread. I think it's depressing that anyone is getting on my case for speaking out against that.

edited to add:

James,

I see you've pruned the offending post out of the thread. Thanks for that. Next time I'll just report the post instead of making a public comment.

Maybe it would be best if the subsequent responses to it were pruned out, too?

Just a thought.

Tom

And you're right, I do have an issue. I get really agitated when I see student's questions answered with crackpottery.

There's an easy way to counter that - provide a non-crackpot explanation.