How are eigenvalues connected to energy values in quantum mechanics?
In linear algebra, an eigenvalue is a scalar associated with a linear operator such that , where is an eigenfunction.
In quantum mechanics, physical observables—such as position, angular momentum, and energy—are represented by linear operators. When the operator is the Hamiltonian (the energy operator), the eigenvalues of that operator correspond directly to the possible energy values of the system.1
According to the axiomatic approach to quantum mechanics, any experimental measurement of a dynamical variable will yield one of its eigenvalues. While the state of a system is generally represented as a linear combination of these eigenfunctions, a measurement forces the system into a specific state corresponding to the observed eigenvalue. Consequently, the set of all possible energy outcomes for a quantum system is defined by the spectrum of eigenvalues of its Hamiltonian operator.12