Exam #1 KEY, April 27th 2009

CHEM-455

Name : answer key

= :)

Instructions
Show all your work.
You will have 50 minutes to complete the exam.
Work that is crossed out or partially erased will not be scored.
Write your name on every page of this exam in the space provided.
If you need extra space, ask the TA for an extra blank sheet of paper. Your name must be written
on the paper, and the number(s) of the questions you work on it must be clearly labeled.
The memory of your calculator must be cleared of all numbers and all programs.
You must stop all your work immediately when the TA announces the end of the exam.

DO NOT BEGIN UNTIL INSTRUCTED

page score:

1/1

Exam #1 KEY, April 27th 2009

CHEM-455

Name :
Question 1, 23 points total
Consider the wave described by Eqn. 1 and answer the following questions about the properties
of the wave.

y(x,t) = A cos (x + vt)

(Eqn. 1)

(1a, 7 pts.) Prove that the wavelength is

If , then y(x + ,t) = y(x,t)

y(x + ,t)
2

= A cos ( x + + vt )

2
2
= A cos ( x + vt ) +


2

= A cos ( x + vt ) + 2

= A cos ( x + vt )

= y(x,t)
(1b, 7 pts.) Prove that the frequency is v/
If

is the frequency, then is the period and

y x,t + = y ( x,t )

y x,t +

= A cos ( x + vt + )

= A cos ( x + vt ) + 2

= A cos ( x + vt )

= y(x,t)

page score:

2/2

Exam #1 KEY, April 27th 2009

CHEM-455

(1c, 2 pts.) Does the wave travel to the left or the right?

left
(1d, 7 pts.) Prove that the wave travels at velocity v
Since v is the velocity, then at time t the wave has traveled left by a distance of vt, so
y ( x vt,t ) = y(x, 0) and so we obtain:

2
y ( x,t = 0 ) = A cos

page score:

x = A cos ( x + vt )

3/3

Exam #1 KEY, April 27th 2009

CHEM-455

Name :
Question 2, 10 points total
Consider this situation: A ground-state hydrogen atom absorbs a photon with a wavelength of
97.2 nm. It then emits a photon with a wavelength of 486 nm. Answer the following questions
about the values of states of the quantum number n during each part of this process.
Remember conversions among wavelength, frequency, and wave velocity. Recall that the speed
of light is 2.997 1010 cm s 1 , that 1nm = 1 10 9 m , that cm-1 is a measure of -1 denoted by
and that the Rydberg constant R = 109, 680cm 1
(2a, 5 pts.) After the photon is initially absorbed, what is the value of n for this intermediate
state?

The frequency of the absorbed photon is v = 1 = 97.2 10 9 m

= 1.029 10 5 cm 1 With this,

we obtain:

1 1
1.029 10 5 cm 1 = 109, 680cm 1 2 2
1 n
1 1
0.9380 = 2 2
1 n
1
= 0.06199
n2
n = 4.016 4
So n=4 in the intermediate state.
(2b, 5 pts.) After the hydrogen atom is excited to this intermediate state, it relaxes to its final
state. What is the value of n for this level?

v = 1 = 486 10 9 m

= 2.058 10 4 cm 1

1
1
2.058 10 4 cm 1 = 109, 680cm 1 2 2
n
4
1
1
0.1876 = 2
n 16
1
= 0.2501
n2
n = 2.00
So the final state is n=2.

page score:

4/4

Exam #1 KEY, April 27th 2009

CHEM-455

Name :
Question 3, 23 points total
Consider a string of length L with a waveform described by X(x). The string is clamped at both
ends so that X(0)=X(L)=0. Answer the following questions and prove that there are n-1 nodes for
each nth harmonic, where n is a positive integer such that n = 1, 2, 3,...
(3a, 12 pts.) What is the expression for X(x)?

n
X(x) = Bsin
L

(3b, 4 pts.) Write the expression you gave in 3a for X(x)=0 or, in other words, write the
expression that is satisfied for points along the string where there is no displacement.
Find the positions where displacement is zero to find the nodes, where:

n
X(x) = Bsin
L

x = 0

(3c, 4 pts.) What are the possible values for the expression inside the sin() or cos() function you
stated in 3a?
The endpoints of the string are x=0 and x=L. sin() is periodic and the values inside the function
are:

n
x = 0, , 2 ,..., n
L
(3d, 3 pts.) What are the possible values of x in your expression for 3c? (These are the
positions of the nodes on the string.)
Consulting the expessions for X(x) and 3c above the nodes are:

L 2L
x = 0, , ,..., L
n n
X(0)=X(L)=0 at the endpoints are not counted as nodes, so the number of nodes is n-1.

page score:

5/5

Exam #1 KEY, April 27th 2009

CHEM-455

Name :
Question 4, 23 points total
Consider the operator shown in Eqn. 2:

= d +x
A
dx

(Eqn. 2)

2 .Work with a generic function

In the questions below, you will determine the expression for A
f(x) for questions 4a and 4b.

f (x) ?
(4a, 8 pts.) What is the complete expression for A

f (x) = df (x) + xf (x)

A
dx

2 f (x) ?
(4b, 8 pts.) Following your answer for 4a, what is the complete expression for A

d
df (x)

2 f (x) = A
A

A
f ( x ) = dx + x dx + xf ( x )

d2 f ( x)
df ( x )
df ( x )
dx
=
+x
+ f ( x) + x
+ x2 f ( x)
2
dx
dx
dx
dx
2
d f ( x)
df ( x )
=
+ 2x
+ f ( x) + x2 f ( x)
2
dx
dx

2 alone?
(4c, 8 pts.) From your answer in 3b, what is the expression for A
Upon removal of the generic function f(x) we obtain:

d2
d

2
A = 2 + 2x + 1 + x 2
dx
dx

page score:

6/6

Exam #1 KEY, April 27th 2009

CHEM-455

Name :
Question 5, 23 points total
Consider a particle in a one-dimensional box (a.k.a. the 1D PIB) of length a. Derive an
expression of the energy levels of this particle in a simple way using the de Broglie relationship
and the 1D PIB boundary conditions.
(5a, 7 pts.) A standing wave requires that an integral number of half-wavelengths fit exactly
into the box. Express this requirement with the variables in terms of a, n = 1, 2, 3,... and any
required constant(s), give an expression for =?

2a
n

(5b, 8 pts.) Combine the expression from 5a with the de Broglie relation for and solve for p.

h 2a
=
p n
nh
p=
2a

p2
(5b, 8 pts.) Recall that kinetic energy is Ek =
. Using your results from 5a and 5b, write the
2m
expression for the energy levels in terms of n, a, m, h and any required constant(s).
For a 1D PIB system, potential energy is 0 everywhere in the box; hence, all energy is purely
kinetic.

Etotal = Ek =

page score:

p2
n2h2
=
2m 8ma 2

7/7

Exam #1 KEY, April 27th 2009

CHEM-455

Name :
Question 6, 23 points total
Use the de Broglie relation to calculate the de Broglie wavelengths for the following particles.
The electronvolt (eV) is a unit with a conversion of 1.000eV = 1.602 10 19 J
Recall the de Broglie relation, with multiple expressions for p.

h
h
h
=
=
p mv
2mE

(6a, 7 pts.) What is the wavelength of an electron with a kinetic energy of 1.000 eV? Recall
that melectron = 9.109 10 31 kg

6.626 10 34 J s

2 9.109 10 31 kg (1.000eV ) 1.602 10 19 J eV 1

= 1.23 10 9 m
(6b, 8 pts.) What is the wavelength of a proton with a kinetic energy of 1.000 eV? Recall that
m proton = 1.673 10 27 kg

6.626 10 34 J s

2 1.673 10 27 kg (1.000eV ) 1.602 10 19 J eV 1

= 2.862 10 11 m

Question continues on next page

page score:

8/8

Exam #1 KEY, April 27th 2009

CHEM-455

(6c, 8 pts.) What is the wavelength of an electron in the first Bohr orbit of a hydrogen atom?
Assume that velocity of the electron is v = 2.188 10 10 m s 1
Note: The above question (which was on the original exam) had a typo. Instead of the original
6
1
value above, v = 2.188 10 m s was the correct value, which gives.

6.626 10 34 J s
=
9.109 10 31 kg 2.188 10 6 m s 1

)(

= 3.325 10 10 m
But, with the value as given in the original question, we find:

6.626 10 34 J s
9.109 10 31 kg 2.188 10 10 m s 1

)(

= 3.325 10 6 m
I counted either order of magnitude as correct when I graded. Congratulations to the two of you
that caught the error and said so on the exam. We like to see that! = 3.325 10 6 m is actually 10
times longer than the distance between the Earth and the Moon. It is physically implausible.

page score:

9/9