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.

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.