Trinh @ Bath

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Next revision
Previous revision
Last revision Both sides next revision
projects_divergentphysics [2020/04/10 13:06]
trinh created
projects_divergentphysics [2020/04/10 13:09]
trinh
Line 16: Line 16:
 E_n = \left(n + \frac{1}{2}\right) + \lambda E_{n1} + \lambda^2 E_{n2} + \ldots = \sum_{j=0}^\infty \lambda^n E_{nj}. E_n = \left(n + \frac{1}{2}\right) + \lambda E_{n1} + \lambda^2 E_{n2} + \ldots = \sum_{j=0}^\infty \lambda^n E_{nj}.
 $$ $$
-But doing so, you quickly realise that the series is divergent. How do you assign meaning to a divergent series? Perhaps put more sensationally: how could you sum the divergent series to obtain the actual answer of the energy?  +But doing so, you quickly realise that the series is divergent and the terms in the series get very large very rapidly. How do you assign meaning to a divergent series? Perhaps put more sensationally: how could you sum the divergent series to obtain the actual answer of the energy? This problem lies at the heart of a lot of the puzzling issues about quantum theories---mainly that many of the quantities that you try to write down are divergent, and it is not clear how to extract meaning from them. 
- +
-This problem lies at the heart of a lot of the puzzling issues about quantum theories---mainly that many of the quantities that you try to write down are divergent, and it is not clear how to extract meaning from them. +
  
 This project will be about learning about some of these techniques for studying divergent series.  This project will be about learning about some of these techniques for studying divergent series.