Show that the quite general wave group given in equation (6-21) is a solution of the free-particle Schrödinger equation, provided that each plane wave's w does satisfy the matter-wave dispersion relation given in (6-23).

Short Answer

Expert verified

Given general wave equation Ψx,t=-+Akeikx-ωtdkis a solution of the free-particle Schrödinger equation -h22m2Ψx,tx2=ihΨx,tt, provided, each plane wave’sω satisfiesωk=hk22m.

Step by step solution

01

Formula used:

wave function of a quantum-mechanical system.

Schrödinger equation is given by,

-h22m2Ψ(x,t)x2=ihΨ(x,t)t ….. (1)

Where, h is Plank’s constant, m is the mass of the object, x is the position of the object, t is the time, andΨis the Wave function

Wave Group (6-21) is,

Ψ(x,t)=-+A(k)ei(kx-ωt)dk ….. (2)

Where, k is the wave number, A is the amplitude of the wave, and ωis theangular frequency.

Matter Wave dispersion relation (6-23) is,

ω(k)=hk22m ….. (3)

02

Substituting wave group equation into Schrödinger equation:

-h22m2x2-+Ake-ikx-ωtdk=iht-+Ake-ikx-ωtdk-h22m-+-k2Ake-ikx-ωtdk=ih-+-Ake-ikx-ωtdk

Substituting hk22mfor ω(k) in above Equation, and you have

-h22m-+-k2Ake-ikx-ωtdk=ih-+-ihk22mAke-ikx-ωtdk-h22m-+-k2Ake-ikx-ωtdk=-h22m-+-k2Ake-ikx-ωtdk

03

Conclusion:

You can see in the above equation, LHS = RHS.

Hence, the given general wave equation (6-21) is a solution of the free-particle Schrödinger equation.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Example 6.3 gives the refractive index for high-frequency electromagnetic radiation passing through Earth’s ionosphere. The constant b, related to the so-called plasma frequency, varies with atmospheric conditions, but a typical value is8×1015rad2/s2 . Given a GPS pulse of frequency1.5GHz traveling through 8kmof ionosphere, by how much, in meters, would the wave group and a particular wave crest be ahead of or behind (as the case may be) a pulse of light passing through the same distance of vacuum?

Question: Obtain equation (6.18) from(6.16) and (6.17).

A beam of particles of energy incident upon a potential step ofU0=(3/4),is described by wave function:ψinc(x)=eikx

The amplitude of the wave (related to the number of the incident per unit distance) is arbitrarily chosen as 1.

  1. Determine the reflected wave and wave inside the step by enforcing the required continuity conditions to obtain their (possibly complex) amplitudes.
  2. Verify the explicit calculation of the ratio of reflected probability density to the incident probability density agrees with equation (6-7).

A particle moving in a region of zero force encounters a precipice---a sudden drop in the potential energy to an arbitrarily large negative value. What is the probability that it will “go over the edge”?

Particles of energy Eare incident from the left, where U(x)=0, and at the origin encounter an abrupt drop in potential energy, whose depth is -3E.

  1. Classically, what would the particles do, and what would happen to their kinetic energy?
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