1) The operators for momentum (pˆ) and Hamiltonian (Hˆ) must commute in order to simultaneously measure momentum and total energy. They commute only if the potential energy (V(x)) is constant.
2) Integrals are used to calculate the uncertainties in position (Δx) and momentum (Δpx) for a particle in a 1D infinite square well, finding Δx = 0.18a and Δpx = 3.14ħ/a, consistent with the uncertainty principle.
3) The wavefunction for a particle in the first two energy levels of a 1D infinite square well oscillates in position with a frequency determined by the difference in energy levels, while maintaining the average
1) The operators for momentum (pˆ) and Hamiltonian (Hˆ) must commute in order to simultaneously measure momentum and total energy. They commute only if the potential energy (V(x)) is constant.
2) Integrals are used to calculate the uncertainties in position (Δx) and momentum (Δpx) for a particle in a 1D infinite square well, finding Δx = 0.18a and Δpx = 3.14ħ/a, consistent with the uncertainty principle.
3) The wavefunction for a particle in the first two energy levels of a 1D infinite square well oscillates in position with a frequency determined by the difference in energy levels, while maintaining the average
1) The operators for momentum (pˆ) and Hamiltonian (Hˆ) must commute in order to simultaneously measure momentum and total energy. They commute only if the potential energy (V(x)) is constant.
2) Integrals are used to calculate the uncertainties in position (Δx) and momentum (Δpx) for a particle in a 1D infinite square well, finding Δx = 0.18a and Δpx = 3.14ħ/a, consistent with the uncertainty principle.
3) The wavefunction for a particle in the first two energy levels of a 1D infinite square well oscillates in position with a frequency determined by the difference in energy levels, while maintaining the average
1) The operators for momentum (pˆ) and Hamiltonian (Hˆ) must commute in order to simultaneously measure momentum and total energy. They commute only if the potential energy (V(x)) is constant.
2) Integrals are used to calculate the uncertainties in position (Δx) and momentum (Δpx) for a particle in a 1D infinite square well, finding Δx = 0.18a and Δpx = 3.14ħ/a, consistent with the uncertainty principle.
3) The wavefunction for a particle in the first two energy levels of a 1D infinite square well oscillates in position with a frequency determined by the difference in energy levels, while maintaining the average
For the momentum and total energy to be measured simultaneously, the operators p and H d 2 d 2 and H = + V ( x) . The commutator is dx 2m dx 2 i 3 d d 2 d 2 d d d p , H =
2m dx dx 2 dx 2 dx i dx V ( x) V ( x) dx . The first bracket is zero. If we apply
the second bracket to an arbitrary function f ( x) we get
d d dV dV f ( x) . Therefore p , H = i . p and H commute (V ( x) f ( x) ) V ( x) f ( x) = dx dx dx dx dV = 0 , ie if V ( x) is constant. only if dx
must commute. In 1D we have p = i
11. For this question, we make extensive use of the useful integrals.
x =
2 a
2 = a
dx x sin 0
x a (ie the average position of the particle is the centre of the well)
= a 2
2 2 x a ( 2 3) 0 dx x sin a = 6 2
p x =
2i 2i x d x x x dx sin sin = 2 dx sin cos =0
a 0 a 0 a dx a a a
p x2 =
2 2 a
2 2 2 2 2 x d x 2 x x dx sin sin = dx sin sin =
0 a 3 0 a2 a dx a a a a
From the lecture notes, A2 = A A
) = 2
( A 2 A A + A ) = 2
A 2 A .
22 1 1 2 Using this, we find x = a 2 , so x = 0.18 a . We also find px = 2 , so a 12 2
px = 3.14 . This gives x p x = 0.57 , which is consistent with the uncertainty principle. a 2
12. a) The probability of measuring both E1 =
2 2 4 2 2 1 and E = is . 2 2 2 2ma 2ma 2
1 1 1 ( x) exp ( iE1 t / ) + 2 ( x) exp ( iE2 t / ) with 1 ( x) and 2 ( x) given in 2 2 the question, and E1 and E2 given above.
b) ( x, t ) =
c) We want to calculate H = dx ( x, t ) H ( x, t ) . Because 1 ( x) and 2 ( x) are energy
0
E E eigenfunctions H ( x, t ) = 1 1 ( x) exp ( iE1 t / ) + 2 2 ( x) exp ( iE2 t / ) . Because 1 ( x) 2 2 and 2 ( x) are normalised and orthogonal to each other, the integrals are easy and we find E E H = 1 + 2 . Note that this is independent of time, and is consistent with the result found in 2 2 part a). a
d) We want to calculate x = dx ( x, t ) x ( x, t ) . The algebra is messy, but we eventually
0
find
x =
a a ( E1 E2 ) t a 1 1 2 x 2 x 2x 2 2 x dx x sin + dx x sin + cos
dx x sin
sin .
a0
a a a a0 a a
( E E2 ) t a 16 a 2 cos 1 . Note how the average
2 9
position of the particle oscillates about the centre of the well (ie a / 2 ), with a frequency determined by the difference in the energy levels of 1 ( x) and 2 ( x) . Using the useful integrals, we find x =
13. a) We want to calculate c(k ) =
c( k ) =
1 2
2 a (1 + exp ( ika ) ) . 2 k 2a2 a
1 2
2 x dx sin exp ( ikx ) . The useful integrals give
a 0 a a
ka cos 2 2 2 . This is symmetrical about k = 0 , so we are equally b) We find that c(k ) 2 2 ( k 2 a 2 ) likely to measure positive and negative momenta. This is consistent with p x = 0 in question 2
11. c(k ) is strongly peaked for k =
2 x
22 a2
in question 11.
. Given that p = k , this is consistent with
14. From the lecture notes, we know that the width of a Gaussian wavepacket varies with time as
1 1 2 at 2 x(t ) = + . At t = 0 , x = =1 . 2 2a 2m 2a
a) We need
2 at 2 3 3m = , ie t = . Putting in the numbers gives t 3 1016 s. 2 2m 2a a
b) The second term under the square root in x(t ) dominates in this case, so x = Putting in the numbers gives x 6 105 m.
