Two particles in a box occupy the n=1andn'=2individual-particle states. Given that the normalization constant is the same as in Example8.2(see Exercise 36), calculate for both the symmetric and antisymmetric states the probability that both particles would be found in the left side of the box (i.e., between 0 and13L)?

Short Answer

Expert verified

0.430 for symmetric and 0.070 for anti-symmetric

Step by step solution

01

Given information: 

Two particles in a box occupy then=1 andn'=2 individual-particle states.

02

Concept of symmetric wave function

The symmetric function is

ψs(x1,x2)=2L((sinπx1Lsin2πx2L+sin2πx1Lsinπx2L)(1)

ψs(x1,x2)=2L(sinπx1Lsin2πx2Lsin2πx1Lsinπx2L)..(2)

Equations (1) and (2) can be written as

ψ(x1,x2)=2L(sinπx1Lsin2πx2L±sin2πx1Lsinπx2L)..(3)

Where "+" sign represents symmetric wave function and “ -” sign represents anti-symmetric wave function. Probability to find one particle in the two particle wave function in rangerole="math" localid="1659950017144" x1tox1+dx1and the another in rangerole="math" localid="1659950029523" x2tox2+dx2isrole="math" localid="1659950072860" |ψ(x1,x2)|2dx1dx2,|ψ(x1,x2)|2dx1dx2

03

Substitute value of ψ(x1,x2)

The probability of finding both particles in the right half of the box, that is for bothxand x z in the range from 0 toL/2is therefore,

Prighl=0I/20I/2|ψ(x1,x2)|dx1dx2..(4)

Substitute the value of ψ(x1,x2)from equation (3) into Equation (4) we get

Prightr localid="1659950570417" =2L20L/20I/2sinπx]Lsin2πxzL±sin2πx1Lsinπx2L2dx1dxz.(5)

Prights=4L20I/2sin2πxLdx01/2sin22πxLdxlocalid="1659950915322" ±4l20L/2sin2πxLsinπxLdx2(6)

The integralx1in equation (6).

01/Lsin2πxLsinπxLdx=0IIL2sinπxLcosπxLsinπxLdx=2Lπ01/2sin2πxLdsinπxL=LL3π.(7)

04

Evaluate equation (6)

The integrals 01/2sin2πxLdxin equation (6) have the form

sin2axdx=12x14asin2ax(8)

And can be evaluated as

0I/2sin2nπxLdx=12xL4sin2nπxL0I/2=L4..(9)

Use Equation7 and9 to evaluate Equation (6)

P=4L2L42±4L22L3x2=0.25±169x2=0.25±0.1803=0.430or0.070

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Were it to follow the standard pattern, what would be the electronic configuration of element 119.

(a) Show that, taking into account the possible z-components of J, there are a total of 12 L S coupled states corresponding to 1 s 2 p in Table 8.3.

(b) Show that this is the same number of states available to two electrons occupying 1 s and 2 p if LS coupling were ignored.

Slater Determinant: A convenient and compact way of expressing multi-particle states of anti-symmetric character for many fermions is the Slater determinant:

|ψn1x1m31ψn2x1m32ψn3x1m33···ψnNx1msNψn1x2m11ψn2x2m32ψn3x2m33···ψψn1x2msNψn3x3m31ψn2x3m12ψn3x3m33ψnNx3msN···············ψn1xNm11ψn2xNm32ψn3xNm33···ψnNxNmsN|

It is based on the fact that for N fermions there must be Ndifferent individual-particle states, or sets of quantum numbers. The ith state has spatial quantum numbers (which might be ni,i, and mfi) represented simply byni and spin quantum number msi. Were it occupied by the ith particle, the slate would beψni(xj)msi a column corresponds to a given state and a row to a given particle. For instance, the first column corresponds to individual particle state ψn(xj)ms1. Where jprogresses (through the rows) from particle 1 to particle N. The first row corresponds to particle I. which successively occupies all individual-particle states (progressing through the columns). (a) What property of determinants ensures that the multiparticle state is 0 if any two individual particle states are identical? (b) What property of determinants ensures that switching the labels on any two particles switches the sign of the multiparticle state?

As is done for helium in Table 8.3, determine for a carbon atom the various states allowed according to LS coupling. The coupling is between carbon's two 2p electrons (its filled 2s subshell not participating), one or which always remains in the 2p state. Consider cases in which the other is as high as the 3d level. (Note: Well both electrons are in the 2p, the exclusion principle restricts the number of states. The only allowed states are those in whichandlT are both even or both odd).

Question: The “radius of an atom” is a debatable quantity. Why?

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