The Wave Function

Problem 1
At time = 0 a particle is represented by the wave function , 0 , (, 0) = , , 0, otherwise, where , , and are constant. (a) Normalize nd in terms of and . (Answer: = 3.) Solution To normalize the wave function, we need to evaluate 2 2 + |(, 0)| = || 0 0
2 2

3 ( )3 = || 2 + 3 3( )2
2 0

= || [ + ( )] = ||2 = 1.
1 3 1 3 1 3

Solving for gives = 3. Here is how we can evaluate this in Python: from sympy import * # This gives us access to all of SYmbolicPYthon A,a,b,x= symbols( 'A,a,b,x' ) # Tell sympy that we need some variables # evaluate the two integrals we need e1 = A**2 * integrate( (x/a)**2, (x,0,a) ) e2 = A**2 * integrate( ( (b-x)/(b-a) )**2, (x,a,b) ) # Solve the equation. # Note: Sympy assumes the first argument of 'solve' equals zero. # The '[-1]' peels off the positive root. A = solve( simplify( e1+e2 ) - 1, A )[-1] # Simpliy and display the result. print simplify( A ) (b) Graph (, 0) as a function of . Solution

PHYS 4310

Spring 2014

Here is the Asymptote code to produce this gure. unitsize(1cm); import graph; usepackage( "mathmacros" ); real a = 1, b = 3; real d = 0.05*(a+b); real V( real x ) { real result=0; if ( 0 <= x && x <= a ) result = x/a; else if ( a < x && x <= b ) result = (b-x)/(b-a); return sqrt(3/b)*result; }

(x, 0) A a b x

draw( graph( V, 0, b ) ); draw( Label("$x$",position=EndPoint), (-d,0) -- (b+4d,0), S, EndArrow ); draw( Label("$\Psi(x,0)$",position=EndPoint), (0,-d) -- (0,V(a)+3d), N, EndArrow ); draw( draw( draw( draw( (a,0) -- (a,V(a)), dashed ); Label("$a$",position=BeginPoint), (a,-0.3d) -- (a,+0.3d), S ); Label("$b$",position=BeginPoint), (b,-0.3d) -- (b,+0.3d), S ); Label("$A$",position=BeginPoint), (-0.3d,V(a)) -- (+0.3d,V(a)), W );

(c) Where is the particle most likely to be found at = 0? (Answer: = .) Solution The probability of nding the particle in [0, ) is 3 (0 < ) = |(, 0)| = || 3 2
2 2 0

(0 < ) =

=0

For the case = , (0 < ) = 1 and when = 2 then (0 < ) = 1 2 . Here is how we can get the answer: from sympy import * a,b,x= symbols( 'a,b,x' ) e = 3/b * integrate( (x/a)**2, (x,0,a) ) print simplify( e ) (d) What is the probability of nding the particle to the left of ? Check your answer in the limiting cases = and = 2 . (Answer: = .) Spring 2014 2 PHYS 4310

The Wave Function

Solution (e) What is the expectation value of ? (Answer: = (2 + )4.) Solution The expectation value of is 2 2 = || = || + 0 0
2 2

3 4 2 (6 2 8 + 3 2 ) 2 + 4 12( )2
0

2 + = . 4 Again, here is the code: from sympy import * a,b,x= symbols( 'a,b,x' ) e1 = 3/b * integrate( x * (x/a)**2, (x,0,a) ) e2 = 3/b * integrate( x * ( (b-x)/(b-a) )**2, (x,a,b) ) print simplify( e1+e2 )

Problem 2
Suppose you add a constant 0 to the potential energy (``constant means independent of and ). In classical mechanics this doesnt change anything, but what about quantum mechanics? Show that the wave function picks up a time-dependent phase factor: exp(0 ). What eect does this have on the expectation value of a dynamical variable? Solution Assume that 0 satises 2 + ()0 = . 2 0

Now lets verify that = 0 0 satises the Schrdinger equation with the addition potential energy term: 2 0 0 + 0 0 . 0 + [ () + 0 ] 0 0 = 0 2

Obviously the second term on the right cancels the 0 term on the left and the exponential 0 cancels. So we have conrmed the problems conjecture. As for the eect on the expectation value, we nd that ||= |0 |2 . Therefore the exponential does not aect the expectation valuean overall constant phase factor never does.

PHYS 4310

Spring 2014

Problem 3
Suppose you wanted to describe an unstable particle, that spontaneously disintegrates with a lifetime . In that case the total probability of nding the particle somewhere should not be constant, but should decrease at (say) an exponential rate:
+

() = |(, )|2 = .

A crude way of achieving this result is as follows: Let the potential be a complex-valued function. For example, = 0 , where 0 is the true potential energy and is a positive real constant. 2 (1) Show that we now get = . Solution To show this, repeat the steps used to develop the probability current density. + = = 2 2 ( ) + + 2 2 ( ) | + | + ( )||2 2 2

= =

2 2 [(0 + ) (0 )] ||2 = ||2 2 = . (2) Solve for (), and nd the lifetime of the particle in terms of . (Answer: () = (0) 2 . = 2.) Solution Solving the DE for , we nd 2 = ln 2 = 0 () = (0) 2 .

Since we have = from the problem, we see that = 2.

Spring 2014

PHYS 4310