Show thatP2is Hermitian, butP4is not, for hydrogen states withl=0. Hint: For such statesψis independent ofθandϕ, so

localid="1656070791118" p2=-2r2ddr(r2ddr)

(Equation 4.13). Using integration by parts, show that

localid="1656069411605" <fp2g>=-4πh2(r2fdgdr-r2gdfdr)0+<p2fg>

Check that the boundary term vanishes forψn00, which goes like

ψn00~1π(na)3/2exp(-r/na)

near the origin. Now do the same forp4, and show that the boundary terms do not vanish. In fact:

<ψn00p4ψm00>=84a4(n-m)(nm)5/2+<p4ψn00ψm00>

Short Answer

Expert verified

Thus,p2 is Hermitian, butp4 is not

Step by step solution

01

Hermitian for  P2

P2is Hermitian, but P4is not,

P2=-2r2ddr(r2ddr)

The p2is Hermitian if,

fP2g=P2fg

so, to show that, we use:

fP2g=-20f1r2ddrr2dgdr4πr2dr=-4π20fddrr2dgdrdr

02

use integration by parts to solve for Hermitian of P2  .

To evaluate this integral, we use the integration by parts technique:

u=f,dv=ddrr2dgdrdrdu=dfdrdr,v=r2dgdrl=r2fdgdr0-0r2dfdrdgdrdr

03

 again, use integration by parts

By using the integration by parts once more,

u=r2dfdr,dv=dgdrdrdu=ddrr2dfdrdr,v=gI'=r2gdfdr|0-0ddrr2dfdrgdr

then,

<fp2g>=-4πh2(r2fdgdr-r2gdfdr)0+0ddrr2dfdrgdr

04

check at boundary

- If

r0=0rgf0r2fdgdr-r2gdfdr|0

vanishes at the boundaries.

Multiplying the R.H.S. byr2r2 ,

05

solve further

solve further

fP2g=-201r2ddrr2dfdrg.4πr2drfP2g=P2flg

Then,P2 is Hermitian.

06

solve for P4

Now, for P4:

P4=4r2ddrr2ddr1r2ddrr2ddr

By applying the same method,

fP4g=401r2fddrr2ddrr2dgdr4πr2dr=4π40fddrr2ddr1r2ddrr2dgdrdr

07

use integration by parts

By using integration by parts:

u=f,dv=ddrr2ddr1r2ddrr2dgdrdrdu=dfdrdr,v=r2ddr1r2ddrr2dgdr

Solve further

I1=r2fddr1r2ddrr2dgdr|0-0r2dfdrddr1r2ddrr2dgdrdru=r2dfdr,dv=ddr1r2ddrr2dgdrdrdu=ddrr2dfdrdrv=1r2ddrr2dgdr

solve further

localid="1656073604117" fP4g=4π4r2fddr1r2ddrr2dgdr-dfdrddrr2dgdr+ddrr2dfdrdgdr-r2gddr1r2ddrr2dfdr|0+P4fg

localid="1656131027955" role="math" u=1r2ddrr2dfdrl2=dfdrddrr2dgdr0-01r2ddrr2dfdrddrr2dgdrdrdrI3=ddrr2dfdrdgdr|0-0r2ddr1r2ddrr2dfdrdgdrdru=r2ddr/dr1r2ddrr2dfdr

dv=dgdrdrdu=ddrr2ddr(1r2ddrr2dfdrdr,v=g,I4=r2gddr1r2ddrr2dfdr|0-0ddrr2ddr1r2ddrr2dfdrgdrg=0ddrr2ddr1r2ddrr2dfdrgdr

08

check the boundary terms

To check the boundary terms:

Take,

f(r)=e-rnag(r)=e-rma

By substituting into the last equation.

dgdr=-1mae-rmadfdr=-1nae-rnar2dgdr=(-r2ma)e-rma

Solve further

ddrr2dgdr=-2rmae-rma+r2m2a2e-rma1r2ddrr2dgdr=-2mar+1m2a2e-rmaddr1r2ddrr2dgdr=-1ma-2mar+1m2a2e-rma+2mar2e-rma

09

solve further

r2fddr1r2ddrr2dgdr=2rm2a2-r2m3a3+2mae-rmae-rnar2dgdr=-r2mae-rmaddrr2dgdr=-2rma+r2m2a2e-rma

Solve further

dfdrddrr2dgdr=-1na-2rma+r2m2a2e-rmae-rnar2dfdr=-r2nae-rnaddrr2dfdr=-2rna+r2n2a2e-rna1r2ddrr2dfdr-2nar+1n2a2e-rnadrdrr2dfdrdgdr=-1ma-2rna+r2n2a2e-rmae-rnadfdr=-2rna+r2n2a2e-rnadxddr1r2ddrr2dfdr=-1na-2nar+1n2a2+2nar2e-rnar2gddr1r2ddrr2dfdr=2rn2a2-r2n3a3+2nae-rnae-rma

10

reduce the equation

When , r0the terms (2) and (3) vanish, so the equation can be reduced to;

role="math" localid="1656136148574" fP4g=4π42ma-2na+P4fg=8π4a1m-1n+P4fg

11

non-Hermitian of P4

Then, P4is non-Hermitian.

ψn001π(na)32e-raψm001π(ma)32e-rmaψn00P4ψm00=8π4an-mnm1πa3(nm)32+P4ψn00ψm00=84a4(n-m)nm52+P4ψn00ψm00P4ψn00ψm00=84a4(n-m)nm52+P4ψn00ψm00

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Question: The exact fine-structure formula for hydrogen (obtained from the Dirac equation without recourse to perturbation theory) is 16

Enj=mc2{1+an-j+12+j+122-a22-12-1}

Expand to order α4(noting that α1), and show that you recoverEquation .

When an atom is placed in a uniform external electric field ,the energy levels are shifted-a phenomenon known as the Stark effect (it is the electrical analog to the Zeeman effect). In this problem we analyse the Stark effect for the n=1 and n=2 states of hydrogen. Let the field point in the z direction, so the potential energy of the electron is

H's=eEextz=eEextrcosθ

Treat this as a perturbation on the Bohr Hamiltonian (Equation 6.42). (Spin is irrelevant to this problem, so ignore it, and neglect the fine structure.)

(a) Show that the ground state energy is not affected by this perturbation, in first order.

(b) The first excited state is 4-fold degenerate: Y200,Y211,Y210,Y200,Y21-1Using degenerate perturbation theory, determine the first order corrections to the energy. Into how many levels does E2 split?

(c) What are the "good" wave functions for part (b)? Find the expectation value of the electric dipole moment (pe=-er) in each of these "good" states.Notice that the results are independent of the applied field-evidently hydrogen in its first excited state can carry a permanent electric dipole moment.

For the harmonic oscillator[Vx=1/2kx2], the allowed energies areEN=(n+1/2)ħω,(n=0.1.2,..),whererole="math" localid="1656044150836" ω=k/mis the classical frequency. Now suppose the spring constant increases slightly:k(1+ο')k(Perhaps we cool the spring, so it becomes less flexible.)

(a) Find the exact new energies (trivial, in this case). Expand your formula as a power series inο,, up to second order.

(b) Now calculate the first-order perturbation in the energy, using Equation 6.9. What ishere? Compare your result with part (a).

Hint: It is not necessary - in fact, it is not permitted - to calculate a single integral in doing this problem.

Van der Waals interaction. Consider two atoms a distanceapart. Because they are electrically neutral you might suppose there would be no force between them, but if they are polarizable there is in fact a weak attraction. To model this system, picture each atom as an electron (mass m , charge -e ) attached by a spring (spring constant k ) to the nucleus (charge +e ), as in Figure. We'll assume the nuclei are heavy, and essentially motionless. The Hamiltonian for the unperturbed system is

H0=12mp12+12kx12+12mp22+12kx22[6.96]

The Coulomb interaction between the atoms is

H'=14πϵ0(e2R-e2R-x1-e2R+x2+e2R-x1+x2 [6.97]

(a) Explain Equation6.97. Assuming that localid="1658203563220" |x1| and |x2|are both much less than, show that

localid="1658203513972" H'-e2x1x22πϵ0R3 [6.98]

(b) Show that the total Hamiltonian (Equationplus Equation) separates into two harmonic oscillator Hamiltonians:

H=[12mp+2+12(k-e22πϵ0R3x+2]+[+12mp-2+12(k+e22πϵ0R3x-2] [6.99]

under the change of variables

x±12(x1±x2) Which entails p±=12(p1±p2) [6.100]

(c) The ground state energy for this Hamiltonian is evidently

E=12(ω++ω-) Where ω±=k(e2/2πϵ0R3)m [6.101]

Without the Coulomb interaction it would have been E0=ħω0, where ω0=k/m. Assuming that, show that

ΔVE-E0-8m2ω03(e22πϵ0)21R6. [6.102]

Conclusion: There is an attractive potential between the atoms, proportional to the inverse sixth power of their separation. This is the van der Waals interaction between two neutral atoms.

(d) Now do the same calculation using second-order perturbation theory. Hint: The unperturbed states are of the form ψn1(x1)ψn2(x2), where ψn(x)is a one-particle oscillator wave function with mass mand spring constant k;ΔVis the second-order correction to the ground state energy, for the perturbation in Equation 6.98 (notice that the first-order correction is zero).

Consider the (eight) n=2states,|2lmlms.Find the energy of each state, under strong-field Zeeman splitting. Express each answer as the sum of three terms: the Bohr energy, the fine-structure (proportional toa2), and the Zeeman contribution (proportional toμBBext.). If you ignore fine structure altogether, how many distinct levels are there, and what are their degeneracies?

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