x

Probability of free particle (no potentials) with momentum

( )

going from

Lets say particle is initially at x and it has well defined momentum . Now it goes from x to x and then from x to y with final momentum . We measure particle at x and y but dont probe anywhere in between. So it takes all possible paths. We want to show that to conserve the momentum. So the probability of particle going form starting point x to final point y, is the integration over all such possible paths: ( ) (
( )

) (
(

)
)

))

Notice that dirac delta function comes into picture only because we have integrated over all paths of the particle. So a free particle keeps a definite momentum as it travels.

( ) and the particle takes Lets say there is a potential at time to go through it. A particle with energy E has wave function evolution , so the above integration would change to:
( ) ( ) ( ( ) ) ( )