Show that most of the energies determined by Equation 5.64are doubly degenerate. What are the exceptional cases? Hint: Try it for N=1,2,3,4.... , to see how it goes. What are the possible values of cos(ka)in each case?

Short Answer

Expert verified

There is no degeneracy at the top and the bottom of the band whencoska=±1

Step by step solution

01

Define the Schrodinger equation

  • A differential equation for the quantum mechanical description of matter in terms of the wave-like characteristics of particles in a field. The solution has to do with the probability density of a particle in space and time.
  • The time-dependent Schrodinger equation is represented as

ddtψ(t)>=Hψ(t)>

02

Analyze the condition

For Ka=2πn/Nwe have a condition on n:n=0,12,...,N-1. Because for larger n, we don't get new solutions.

We are going to write solutions for cosKafor couple of N

Ka=2πnN

Value of different ncorresponds to a distinct state

03

Analyze the energies

N=1,n=0coska=1Non- degenerate

N=2,n=0,1coska=1,1Non- degenerate

N=3,n=0,1,2cos(ka)=1,-12,-12First one is non -degenerate other one is degenerate

N=4,n=0,1,2,3cos(ka)=1,0,-1,0Two are non -degenerate and two are degenerate

When we have coska=±1, then we don't have degeneracy. This happens at the top and at the bottom of the band.

So, we don’t have degeneracy at the top and the bottom of the band whencos(ka)=±1

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Most popular questions from this chapter

(a) Find the percent error in Stirling’s approximation for z = 10 ?

(b)What is the smallest integer z such that the error is less than 1%?

Certain cold stars (called white dwarfs) are stabilized against gravitational collapse by the degeneracy pressure of their electrons (Equation 5.57). Assuming constant density, the radius R of such an object can be calculated as follows:

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Etot=h2V2π2m0kFK4dk=h2kF5V10π2m=h2(3π2Nd)5/310π2mV-2/3(5.56)

(b) Look up, or calculate, the gravitational energy of a uniformly dense sphere. Express your answer in terms of G (the constant of universal gravitation), R, N, and M (the mass of a nucleon). Note that the gravitational energy is negative.

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ψ0r1,r2=ψ100r1ψ100r2=8πa3e-2r1+r2/a(5.30).

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Theθ2integral is easy, but be careful to take the positive root. You’ll have to

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Answer: 5/4a.

(b) Use your result in (a) to estimate the electron interaction energy in the ground state of helium. Express your answer in electron volts, and add it toE0(Equation 5.31) to get a corrected estimate of the ground state energy. Compare the experimental value. (Of course, we’re still working with an approximate wave function, so don’t expect perfect agreement.)

E0=8-13.6eV=-109eV(5.31).

(a) Figure out the electron configurations (in the notation of Equation

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1s22s22p2(5.33).

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LJ2S+1 (5.34).

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