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A particle of mass m is in the state:

ψ(x,t)=Ae−a[(mx2/h)+it]

where A and a are positive real constants.

(a) Find A.

(b) For what potential energy function, V(x), is this a solution to the Schrödinger equation?

(c) Calculate the expectation values of x,x2 , p, andp2 .

(d) Find σx and σp. Is their product consistent with the uncertainty principle?

Short Answer

Expert verified

a. A=2amπh1/4

b.V(x,t)=2ma2x2

c. ⟨x⟩=0, ⟨x2⟩=h4am, ⟨p⟩=0,⟨p2⟩=ham

d. Yes, it’s consistent with the uncertainty principle

Step by step solution

01

Normalizing the wave equation (a)

Calculating for A by normalizing the wave function.

1=∫−∞∞|ψ(x,t)|2dx1=∫−∞∞ψ*(x,t)ψ(x,t)dx1=∫−∞∞(Ae−a[(mx2/h)+it])(Ae−a[(mx2/h)−it])dx1=A2∫−∞∞e−2amx2/hdx

Further solving above equation,

1=2A2∫0∞e−x2/[h/(2am)]2dx1=2A2.Ï€h/2am21=A2Ï€³ó2amA2=2amÏ€h1/2A=2amÏ€h1/4

Thus, the value of A is 2amπh1/4.

02

Finding the potential energy for which it is a solution of the Schrödinger equation (b)

Schrodinger equation is given by,

∂ψ∂t=ih2m∂2ψ∂x2−ihV(x,t)ψ(x,t)

Solving for V(x,t),

V(x,t)=hi1ψ(x,t)ih2m∂2ψ∂x2−∂ψ∂tV(x,t)=hi2amπh1/4ea[(mx2/h)+it]ih2m2amπh1/4∂2∂x2(e−a[(mx2/h)+it])−2amπh1/4(e−a[(mx2/h)+it])(−ia)V(x,t)=hea[(mx2/h)+it]ih2m∂2∂x2(e−a[(mx2/h)+it])−ae−a[(mx2/h)+it]V(x,t)=hea[(mx2/h)+it]ih2m−2amh1−2amhx2e−a[(mx2/h)+it]+ae−a[(mx2/h)+it]

Further solving above equation,

V(x,t)=ha2amhx2−1+aV(x,t)=2ma2x2

Thus, the potential energy function isV(x,t)=2ma2x2 .

03

Calculating the expectation values of x (c)

Solving for the expectation values.

⟨x⟩=∫−∞∞x|ψ(x,t)|2dx∫−∞∞|ψ(x,t)|2dx⟨x⟩=∫−∞∞³æÏˆ*(x,t)ψ(x,t)dx⟨x⟩=∫−∞∞x2amÏ€h1/4e−a[(mx2/h)+it]2amÏ€h1/4e−a[(mx2/h)−it]dx⟨x⟩=2amÏ€h∫−∞∞xe−2amx2/hdx

Since, integral of an odd function over a symmetric interval is zero.

Therefore, the expectation value is zero ⟨x⟩=0.

Now, for ⟨x2⟩

⟨x2⟩=∫−∞∞x2|ψ(x,t)|2dx∫−∞∞|ψ(x,t)|2dx⟨x2⟩=∫−∞∞x2ψ(x,t)ψ*(x,t)dx⟨x2⟩=∫−∞∞x22amπh1/4e−a[(mx2/h)+it]2amπh1/4e−a[(mx2/h)−it]dx⟨x2⟩=2amπh∫−∞∞x2e−2max2/hdx

⟨x2⟩=22amπh∫0∞x2e−x2/[h/(2am)]2dx⟨x2⟩=22amπh.π2!1h/2am23⟨x2⟩=h4am

Therefore, the value of ⟨x2⟩ is h4am.

04

Calculating the expectation values for p (c)

Using the Ehrenfest’s theorem,

⟨p⟩=m⟨v⟩⟨p⟩=md⟨x⟩dt

Since ⟨x⟩=0.

Therefore, the value of ⟨p⟩ is zero.

Now, solving for ⟨p2⟩.

⟨p2⟩=∫−∞∞ψ*(x,t)−ih∂∂x2ψ(x,t)dx⟨p2⟩=−h2∫−∞∞ψ*(x,t)∂2ψ∂x2dx⟨p2⟩=−h2∫−∞∞2amπh1/4e−a[(mx2/h)−it]∂2∂x22amπh1/4e−a[(mx2/h)+it]dx

Further solving above equation,

⟨p2⟩=−h22amπh2amh∫−∞∞1−2amhx2e−2amx2/hdx⟨p2⟩=−h22amπh2amh∫−∞∞e−2amx2/hdx−2amh∫−∞∞x2e−2amx2/hdx⟨p2⟩=−h22amπh4amh∫0∞e−x2/[h/2am]2dx−2amh∫0∞x2e−x2/[h/2am]2dx⟨p2⟩=−h22amπh4amhπh/2am2−2amhπ2!1!h/2am23

Further solving above equation,

⟨p2⟩=h24amh12−14⟨p2⟩=ham

Therefore, the value of ⟨p2⟩ is ham.

05

Checking the consistency with Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

The standard variation of an observable gives the uncertainty, hence,

σx=Δ³æÎ”³æ=⟨x2⟩−⟨x⟩2Δ³æ=h4am−0Δ³æ=12ham

The calculation of standard deviation σp is,

σp=Δ±èΔ±è=⟨p2⟩−⟨p⟩2Δ±è=ham−0Δ±è=ham

The uncertainty can be written as,

Δ³æÎ”±è=12hamhamΔ³æÎ”±è=h2

And Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states that

Δ³æÎ”±è≥h2

Therefore, it is consistent with the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Question: Let pab(t)be the probability of finding a particle in the range (a<x<b),at time t.

(a)Show that

dpabdt=j(a.t)-j(b,t),

Where

j(x,t)≡ih2m(ψ∂ψ*∂x-ψ*∂ψ∂x)

What are the units of j(x,t)?

Comment: j is called the probability current, because it tells you the rate at which probability is "flowing" past the point x. Ifpab(t) is increasing, then more probability is flowing into the region at one end than flows out at the other.

(b) Find the probability current for the wave function in Problem 1.9. (This is not a very pithy example, I'm afraid; we'll encounter more substantial ones in due course.)

For the distribution of ages in the example in Section 1.3.1:

(a) Compute⟨j2⟩ and⟨j⟩2 .

(b) Determine ∆j for each j, and use Equation 1.11 to compute the standard deviation.

(c) Use your results in (a) and (b) to check Equation 1.12.

Calculate d〈p〉/dt. Answer:

dpdx=-∂V∂x

This is an instance of Ehrenfest’s theorem, which asserts that expectation values obey the classical laws

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(c) Sketch the graph of ÒÏ(x).

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