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I have a question concerning the stationary states of a spherically symmetric potential (V=V(r), no angular dependence)
By separation of variables the eigenfunctions of the angular part of the Shrödinger equation are the spherical harmonics.
However, (apart from Y^0_0) these are not spherically symmetrical.
for example: Y^0_1=(3/(4Pi))^{1/2}cos(theta)
So the probability of finding the particle in the xy-plane (so theta=1/2 Pi) is zero (regardless of r).
But why would the probability of finding the particle at in the xy-plane differ from any plane through the origin? (which is due only because of a particular choice of the coordanation axes) How can nature prefer a specific angular direction when the potential is depends only one the distance from the origin?
Isn`t this in violation with the isotropy of space??
BTW: I know LateX, but how do you use it in this posting on this forum?
By separation of variables the eigenfunctions of the angular part of the Shrödinger equation are the spherical harmonics.
However, (apart from Y^0_0) these are not spherically symmetrical.
for example: Y^0_1=(3/(4Pi))^{1/2}cos(theta)
So the probability of finding the particle in the xy-plane (so theta=1/2 Pi) is zero (regardless of r).
But why would the probability of finding the particle at in the xy-plane differ from any plane through the origin? (which is due only because of a particular choice of the coordanation axes) How can nature prefer a specific angular direction when the potential is depends only one the distance from the origin?
Isn`t this in violation with the isotropy of space??
BTW: I know LateX, but how do you use it in this posting on this forum?