Professor M does Science | The parity operator in quantum mechanics @ProfessorMdoesScience | Uploaded March 2021 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
Why is the parity operator important?

📚 Considering a Cartesian coordinate system, the parity operator reflects a quantum state about the origin of coordinates, and is therefore also called the "space inversion operator". In this video, we explore the fundamental properties of the parity operator, for example we learn that its eigenstates are described by either even or odd wave functions. The parity operator is particularly important in systems with inversion symmetry, which include a wide range of examples, from the quantum harmonic oscillator to the hydrogen atom.

🐦 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/ProfMScience

⏮️ BACKGROUND
Hermitian operators: youtu.be/XIgDUfyrLAY
Unitary operators: youtu.be/baIT6HaaYuQ
Projection operators: youtu.be/M9V4hhqyrKQ
Eigenvalues and eigenstates: youtu.be/p1zg-c1nvwQ
Wave functions: youtu.be/2lr3aA4vaBs

⏭️ WHAT NEXT?
Even and odd operators: youtu.be/o8l6Yz9EHps
Selection rules: [COMING SOON]
~
Director and writer: BM
Producer and designer: MC