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In Problem 2.21 you analyzed the stationary gaussian free particle wave packet. Now solve the same problem for the traveling gaussian wave packet, starting with the initial wave function.ψ(x,0)=Ae-ax2eilx

Short Answer

Expert verified

a)The-value-A-is-A=2aπ1/4-b)ψx,t=2aπ1/4e-ax2+ilx-ħl2t/2m1+2iħat/m1+2iħat/mWhere,K=12π12πa1/4c)ψx,t2=2πωe-2ω2x-θll2a2d)x=ħlmt,p=ħl,x2=14ϖ2+ħitm2,p2=ħ2a+/2,σx=12ω,σp=ħa.e)The-uncertainty-principle-holds-

Step by step solution

01

Normalizing and finding A¶

a)

The initial wave function,

ψx,0=Ae-ax2

Converting .this .equation.to. a. traveling. wave,. so .we. multiply .the .stationary .wave .function. by .a. factor .of .localid="1658142498331" width="49" style="max-width: none;" eilx,,

ψx,0=Ae-ax2eilxNow,A2-e-2ax2dx=1The.integral.comes.out.to.be.π/2a.Therefore,A=2aπ1/4

The.value.of.A.is.A=2aπ1/4.b)Following.the.same.procedure.as.in.the.stationary.case,ψx,t=12π-ϕkeikxe-iħk2t/2mdkWhere,

ϕk=12π-ψx,oe-ikxdkϕk=12π2aπ1/4-e-ax2-ikx+ilxdkϕk=12πa1/4e-k-l2/4aThus,.ϕk=12πa1/4e-k-l2/4aNow.ψx,t=K-e-/2/4aexp14a+iħt2mk2-ix+12akdk

ψx,t=Ke-l2/4aπ14a+iħt2meix+//2a2414a+iħt2mThevaluecalculatedisψx,t=2aπ1/4e-ax2+iix-ħl2t/2m1+2iħat/m1+2iħat/mWhere,K=12π12πa1/4.

02

Finding |ψ|2

c)

ψ2=2aπ11+4ħ2a2t2m2expaix+//2a21+2iħat/m+ix+//2a21+2iħat/mLetθ=2ħat/mψ2=2aπ11+θ2e-l2l2aexpaix+//2a21+θ+ix+//2a21-θ

Expanding the term in the square brackets,

T=11+θ21-iθix+l2a2+1+iθ-ix+12a2T=11+θ2-x2+ixla+l24a2+-x2+ixla+l24a2+iθx2+ixla+l24a2+iθ-x2+ixla+l24a2T=11+θ2-2x2+l22a2+2θxlaT=11+θ2-2x2+2θxla-θ2l22a2+122a2T=-21+θ2x-θl2a2+122a2

Hence,ψ2=2aπ11+θ2e-l2l2aexp-2a1+θ2x-θl2a2+l22a2ψ2=2aπ11+θ2exp-2a1+θ2x-θl2a2Using,ω=a1+2ħat/m21/2ω=a1+θ21/2Therefore,ψx,t2=2aπωe-2ω2x-θll2a2.

03

Calculating the expectation values of x

d)

x=-xψx,t2dxx=-2πωxe-2ω2x-θll2a2dxLety=x-θll2a=x-vt,andthus,x=y+vtwhere,v=ħllm.Weget,x=-y+vt2πωxe-2ω2y2dy

Since, we have two integrals, the first one is zero as the function is odd, and the integration of an odd function from-to is zero, and the second integration is 1 by normalization, so:

role="math" localid="1658204074614" x=vtx=ħlmt

04

Calculating the expectation value of momentum

p=mdxdtp=ħl

05

Calculating the expectation value of x2

x2=-y+vt22πωe-2ω2y2dy

Since y+vt2=y2+2yvt+v2t2, to find the values of the first integral, we used the integral calculator, the second integral is zero since it’s an odd function, and the third integral is one by normalization, so the value of this integral would be,

x2=14ω2+0+v2t2x2=14ω2+ħltm2

06

Calculating the expectation value of <p2>

p2=-ħ2-ψ*d2ψdxdx

Since,

dψdx=2iaix+l2a1+iθψdψdx=-4a2ix+//2a1+iθ2-2a1+iθψ

Therefore,

p2=4a2ħ21+iθ2-ix+l2a2+1+iθ2aψ2dxp2=4a2ħ21+iθ2--y+vt-il2a2+1+iθ2aψ2dyp2=4a2ħ21+iθ2--14ω2+0-vt-il2a2+1+iθ2ap2=aħ21+iθ1+iθ1+l2ap2=ħ2a+l2

07

Calculating the standard deviation

σx=x2-xσx=14ω2+ħltm2-ħltm2σx=12ωAnd,σp=p2-pσp=ħ2a+ħ2l2-ħ2l2σp=ħaThus,x=ħlmt,p=ħl,x2=14ω2+ħltm2,p2=ħ2a+l2,σx=12ω,σp=ħa

08

Checking for the uncertainty principle

(e)

σxσp=ħa2ωPuttingthevalueofωas:σxσp=1+2ħat/m2a1/2ħa2σxσp=ħ21+2ħat2m2σxσpħ22


Hence, the uncertainty principle holds.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Show that there is no acceptable solution to the Schrodinger equation for the infinite square well with E=0orE<0(This is a special case of the general theorem in Problem 2.2, but this time do it by explicitly solving the Schrodinger equation, and showing that you cannot meet the boundary conditions.)

The transfer matrix. The S- matrix (Problem 2.52) tells you the outgoing amplitudes (B and F)in terms of the incoming amplitudes (A and G) -Equation 2.175For some purposes it is more convenient to work with the transfer matrix, M, which gives you the amplitudes to the right of the potential (F and G)in terms of those to the left (A and b):

(FG)=(M11M12M21M22)(AB)[2.178]

(a) Find the four elements of the M-matrix, in terms of the elements of theS-matrix, and vice versa. ExpressRI,TI,RrandTr(Equations 2.176and 2.177) in terms of elements of the M-matrix.,

(b) Suppose you have a potential consisting of two isolated pieces (Figure 2.23 ). Show that the M-matrix for the combination is the product of the twoM-matrices for each section separately: M=M2M1[2.179]

(This obviously generalizes to any number of pieces, and accounts for the usefulness of the M-matrix.)

FIGURE : A potential consisting of two isolated pieces (Problem 2.53 ).

(c) Construct the -matrix for scattering from a single delta-function potential at point V(x)=-αδ(x-a) :

(d) By the method of part , find the M-matrix for scattering from the double delta functionV(x)=-α[δ(x+a)+δ(X-a)] .What is the transmission coefficient for this potential?

In this problem we explore some of the more useful theorems (stated without proof) involving Hermite polynomials.

a. The Rodrigues formula says thatHn(ξ)=(1)neξ2(d)neξ2

Use it to derive H3 and H4 .

b. The following recursion relation gives you Hn+1 in terms of the two preceding Hermite polynomials: Hn+1(ξ)=2ξHn(ξ)2nHn1(ξ)

Use it, together with your answer in (a), to obtain H5 and H6 .

(c) If you differentiate an nth-order polynomial, you get a polynomial of

Order (n-1). For the Hermite polynomials, in fact,

dHn=2nHn1(ξ)

Check this, by differentiatingH5and H6.

d. Hn(ξ)is the nth z-derivative, at z = 0, of the generating function exp(z2+2ξz)or, to put it another way, it is the coefficient ofznn! in the Taylor series expansion for this function: ez2+2ξz=n=0znn!Hn(ξ)

Use this to obtain H0,H1and H2.

Calculate (x),(x2),(p),(p2),σxandσp,for the nth stationary state of the infinite square well. Check that the uncertainty principle is satisfied. Which state comes closest to the uncertainty limit?

-consider the “step” potential:

v(x)={0,ifx0,V0,ifx>0,

a.Calculate the reflection coefficient, for the case E < V0, and comment on the answer.

b. Calculate the reflection coefficient, for the case E >V0.

c. For potential such as this, which does not go back to zero to the right of the barrier, the transmission coefficient is not simply F2A2(with A the incident amplitude and F the transmitted amplitude), because the transmitted wave travels at a different speed . Show thatT=E-V0V0F2A2,for E >V0. What is T for E < V0?

d. For E > V0, calculate the transmission coefficient for the step potential, and check that T + R = 1.


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