wave function
noun Physics.
a solution of a wave equation.
(in quantum mechanics) a mathematical function, found by solving a quantum-mechanical wave equation, that is used to predict the outcome of measurements on physical systems.
Words nearby wave function
wave election,
wave energy,
wave equation,
wave farm,
wave front,
wave function,
wave mechanics,
wave moth,
wave number,
wave of the future,
wave power
British Dictionary definitions for wave function
wave function
noun
physics
a mathematical function of position and generally time, used in wave mechanics to describe the state of a physical system
Symbol: ψ
Scientific definitions for wave function
wave function
A mathematical function used in quantum mechanics to describe the propagation of the wave associated with a particle or group of particles. The wave function is a solution to Schrödinger's equation, given the boundary conditions that describe the physical system in which the particle is found. The square of the function evaluated at a given point in space is proportional to the probability of finding the particle in the immediate vicinity of that position.