Chapter 2: Q25P (page 77)
Check the uncertainty principle for the wave function in the equation? Equation 2.129.
Short Answer
Uncertainty of the wave equation
Chapter 2: Q25P (page 77)
Check the uncertainty principle for the wave function in the equation? Equation 2.129.
Uncertainty of the wave equation
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Get started for freeA free particle has the initial wave function
where A and a are positive real constants.
(a)Normalize
(b) Find.
(c) Construct ,in the form of an integral.
(d) Discuss the limiting cases very large, and a very small.
Find , for the nth stationary state of the harmonic oscillator, using the method of Example . Check that the uncertainty principle is satisfied.
This problem is designed to guide you through a “proof” of Plancherel’s theorem, by starting with the theory of ordinary Fourier series on a finite interval, and allowing that interval to expand to infinity.
(a) Dirichlet’s theorem says that “any” function f(x) on the interval can be expanded as a Fourier series:
Show that this can be written equivalently as
.
What is , in terms of and ?
(b) Show (by appropriate modification of Fourier’s trick) that
(c) Eliminate n and in favor of the new variables . Show that (a) and (b) now become
.
where is the increment in k from one n to the next.
(d) Take the limit to obtain Plancherel’s theorem. Comment: In view of their quite different origins, it is surprising (and delightful) that the two formulas—one for F(k) in terms of f(x), the other for f(x) terms of F(k) —have such a similar structure in the limit .
Show that there is no acceptable solution to the Schrodinger equation for the infinite square well with or(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.)
A particle in the infinite square well has as its initial wave function an even mixture of the first two stationary states:
You can look up the series
and
in math tables. under "Sums of Reciprocal Powers" or "Riemann Zeta Function."
(a) Normalize . (That is, find A. This is very easy, if you exploit the orthonormality of and . Recall that, having normalized at , , you can rest assured that is stays normalized—if you doubt this, check it explicitly after doing part(b).
(b) Find and . Express the latter as a sinusoidal function of time. To simplify the result, let
(c)Compute . Notice that it oscillates in time. What is the angular frequency of the oscillation? What is the amplitude of the oscillation?(If your amplitude is greater than , go directly to jail.
(d) Compute .
(e) If you measured the energy of this particle, what values might you get, and what is the probability of getting each of them? Find the expectation value of . How does it compare with E1 and E2
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