A new look at quantal time evolution

Abstract

Time evolution of quantum systems is normally taught using the Schrödinger equation. Here, we use the Heisenberg approach to consider three problems that are exactly solvable in the Schrödinger picture when the initial wavepacket is Gaussian: the free particle, the simple harmonic oscillator and a free particle with a spin-orbit interaction. We show that complete solutions can be obtained for the free particle (with or without spin-orbit interaction). For the simple harmonic oscillator, however, the fact that the wavepacket remains a Gaussian as time progresses has to be inferred on the basis of the skewness and kurtosis as opposed to a study of all the relevant moments.