Classical Physics versus Quantum Mechanics

Classical physics:

Quantum mechanics:

Observables are operators that act on the wave
function psi to generate a number.
Most observables are independent. is
called the commutator
Conjugate observables are not independent.

Conjugate observables (potential/momentum) must have a non-zero commutator to quantize a field.

Slide 27 could not remember what it was for.

sweetser@alum.mit.edu