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Momentum state

In quantum mechanics, the momentum state ψ describes an idealized state of a wave function.

 

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Explanation

The momentum state would be given by the expression

ψ = e^−ip·x

where

i	Imaginary unit
p	Momentum
x	Position

 

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Example 1

A photon can be polarized horizontally or vertically. It is thus in a superposition of these two states, and we write this as

|ψ⟩ = α |H⟩ + β |V⟩

where α and β are complex probability amplitudes. The chance that you measure a photon in state |H⟩ is |α|² and that you measure state |V⟩ is |β|², because

|α|² + |β|² = 1

 

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History This theory was in 1967 developed by the British mathematician Roger Penrose.

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