Appendix A: Derivation of Bohm’s Equations

Problem 1. Derivation of the coupled equations:

a) Start with Schrodinger in space and time.

∂Ψ(x, t) (~)2 2
i~ =− ∇ Ψ(x, t) + V (x)Ψ(x, t) (1)
∂t 2m

Where m is the mass of the particle, Ψ is a wavefunction which satisfies the equation, and V is the
external potential energy.
i S(x,t)
b) Because Ψ(x, t): R 2 → C it can be written in polar form as Ψ(x, t) = R(x, t)e ~ . Here R(x, t), S(x,
t): R 2 → R.

c) Plugging the polar form of the wavefunction into Schrodinger’s equation results in:

     
is(x,t)
∂ R(x, t)e ~
~2 2 i S(x,t)  i S(x,t) 
 
i~ =− ∇ R(x, t)e ~ + V (x) R(x, t)e ~ (2)
  
∂t 2m

Now applying the product rule on the terms in the first two brackets, as well as the chain rule on the
exponential term gives for the Left Hand Side (LHS hereon):
 
∂R(x, t) i S(x,t) iS(x,t)
i ∂S(x, t)
i~ e ~ + R(x, t)e ~
∂t ~ ∂t

   
iS(x,t)
∂R(x, t) i ∂S(x, t)
i~e ~ + R(x, t) (3)
∂t ~ ∂t

For the Right Hand Side (RHS hereon) observe that:

       i S(x,t) 
i S(x,t) iS(x,t) i S(x,t)
i
∇2 R(x, t)e ~ = ∇ · ∇ R(x, t)e ~ = ∇ ∇R(x, t)e ~ + R(x, t)∇S(x, t) e ~
~
  i S(x,t) k   iS(x,t)
e ~ +.
2
i S(x,t)
i i
∇ R(x, t)e ~ + ∇R(x, t) e ~ ∇S(x, t) + ∇R(x, t)∇S(x, t)
~ ~
  iS(x,t)    i S(x,t)
 . + R(x, t)∇2S(x, t) ~i e ~ + R(x, t)∇S(x, t) ~i ~i e ~ ∇S(x, t)

Combining terms and factoring leaves:

      
R(x, t)∇2S(x, t) +  .
i S(x,t)
i i i
e ~ ∇2R(x, t) + ∇R(x, t)∇S(x, t) + ∇R(x, t)∇S(x, t) +
~ ~ ~
    
 . + −~21 R(x, t)(∇S(x, t))2 = ∇2 R(x, t)e ~
iS(x,t)

iS(x,t)
Since there is an e ~ term which can  be factored out on both the LHS and RHS they will be can-
−i
celled, and multiplying both sides by ~ leaves:

      
∂R(x, t) i ∂S(x, t) i~ i i
+ R(x, t) = ∇2R(x, t) + ∇R(x, t)∇S(x, t) + ∇R(x, t)∇S(x, t) +
∂t ~ ∂t 2m ~ ~
      
 + ~i R(x, t)∇2S(x, t) + −~21 R(x, t)(∇S(x, t))2 + −~i V (x)R(x, t)

Finally, multiply in the i~ on the RHS and combine like terms to obtain:
  
i~∇2R(x, t) − 2∇R(x, t)∇S(x, t) − R(x, t)∇2S(x, t) − 
∂R(x, t) i ∂S(x, t) 1
+ R(x, t) =
∂t ~ ∂t 2m
    
 −
i
~
R(x, t)(∇S(x, t))2 +
−i
~
V (x)R(x, t) (4)

1
 ∂R(x, t) ∂S(x, t)
Equation (4) can be solved for ∂t
and ∂t
.

∂R(x, t)
d) Solving (4) for ∂t
:
∂R(x, t)
First, since it is the equation for ∂t
that is desired, and R(x, t) is the real part of the wavefunc-
tion all imaginary aspects of equation (4) can be ignored. This leaves:
 
∂R(x, t) 1
= − 2∇R(x, t)∇S(x, t) − R(x, t)∇2S(x, t)
∂t 2m

Pulling out the negatives leaves:

∂R(x, t) 1 
R(x, t)∇2S(x, t) + 2∇R(x, t) · ∇S(x, t)

=− (5)
∂t 2m

∂S(x, t)
e) Solving (4) for ∂t
by using the same procedure as above but in this case ignoring all real parts of
the equaiton:
       
i ∂S(x, t) 1 i i
R(x, t) = i~∇2R(x, t) − R(x, t)(∇S(x, t))2 − V (x)R(x, t)
~ ∂t 2m ~ ~
 
1
Dividing both sides by R(x, t), multiplying by ( − i~), and carrying through the 2m
on the RHS:

∂S(x, t) ~2∇2R(x, t) (∇S(x, t))2

= − − V (x)
∂t 2mR(x, t) 2m
Which is equivalent to:

(∇S(x, t))2 ~2 ∇2R(x, t)

 
∂S(x, t)
=− + V (x) − (6)
∂t 2m 2m R(x, t)

This completes the derivation of the coupled equations.