Biography:Eugene Wigner
| Eugene Wigner | |
|---|---|
| |
| Eugene Wigner | |
| Born | 17 November 1902 Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 1 January 1995 Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Known for | Symmetry in quantum mechanics; Wigner theorem; Wigner distribution; nuclear physics |
| Awards | Nobel Prize in Physics (1963) |
Eugene Wigner (17 November 1902 - 1 January 1995) was a Hungarian-American theoretical physicist and mathematician who made symmetry a central language of modern quantum physics. His work showed how group theory could classify quantum states, selection rules, angular momentum, and the behavior of atomic and nuclear systems.[1]
Wigner received the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physics for contributions to nuclear and elementary-particle theory, especially through symmetry principles. His mathematical style influenced spectroscopy, quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, and quantum information.
Symmetry and quantum theory
In quantum mechanics, symmetries are represented by transformations acting on states in Hilbert space. Wigner's theorem formalized how physical symmetries correspond to unitary or antiunitary transformations, a result that remains basic in quantum foundations.
The Wigner distribution connects quantum states with phase-space descriptions, while Wigner's broader work on representations helped organize spin, angular momentum, and conservation laws. These ideas connect directly with symmetry in quantum mechanics and angular momentum operators.
See also
- Physics:Quantum Symmetry in quantum mechanics
- Physics:Quantum Angular momentum operator
- Physics:Quantum Hilbert space
- Biography:John von Neumann
References
- ↑ "Eugene Wigner - Biographical". Nobel Prize Outreach. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1963/wigner/biographical/.
Source attribution: Biography:Eugene Wigner