Time-reversal symmetry

The equation of motion

If (r1(t),...,r3N(t),p1(t),...,p3N(t)) is a solution
then (r1(-t),...,r3N(-t),-p1(t),...,-p3N(t)) is also a solution.

This shows that the equation of motion has no preferred direction for times arrow. If we watch a movie of a system evolving under a Hamiltonian equation of motion, it is impossible to decide if we are watching the movie in its original form or if it is being shown in reverse.


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Author Per Stoltze stoltze@fysik.dtu.dk