PHY4604 Fall 2007 Problem Set 1

PHY 4604 Problem Set #1

Due Friday September 7, 2007 (in class)
(Total Points = 60, Late homework = 50%)
Reading: Griffiths Chapter 1.

Useful Math:
∞
1
∫x e
n −a
dx = Γ( n2+1 ) , where Γ(x) is the gamma function and Γ(x+1) = xΓ(x).
2 2
x

0
2a n +1
Γ(1) = Γ(2) = 1, Γ(n) = (n-1)! if n is a positive integer, and Γ( 12 ) = π .
Integration by parts:
b b
dg df
∫a f dx dx = − ∫a dx gdx + fg a
b

Problem 1 (12 points): Consider a room containing 14 people, whose ages are as follows:
One person aged 14,
One person aged 15,
Three people aged 16,
Two people aged 22,
Two people aged 24,
Five people aged 25.
(a) (1 point) If you selected one person from the room, what is the probability that the person’s
age would be 15?
(b) (1 point) What is the most probable age?
(c) (1 point) What is the median age?
(d) (1 point) What is the average age?
(e) (1 point) Let N(j) be the number of people with age j. Histogram N(j) versus j.
(f) (2 points) Compute <j2> and <j>2.
(g) (3 points) Determine Δj = j - <j> for each j, and compute the variance of the distribution
using, σ2 = <(Δj)2>. What is the standard deviation, σ, of this distribution.
(h) (2 points) Compute the standard deviation using, σ = < j 2 > − < j > 2 , and show that you
get the same answer as in part (g).
(Hint: see Griffiths section 1.3)

Problem 2 (10 points): Consider the (Gaussian) wave function

− λ2 ( x − a ) 2
ψ ( x) = Ae ,
where A, a, and λ are positive real constants. The probability density is defined by
ρ ( x) = ψ ( x) ≡ ψ ∗ ( x)ψ ( x) .
2

(a) (1 point) Find the value of A that normalizes this wavefunction such that
+∞

∫ ρ ( x)dx = 1 .
−∞

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PHY4604 Fall 2007 Problem Set 1

(b) (2 points) Find <x> and <x2> for this wavefunction.

(c) (2 point) Sketch the graph ρ(x) versus x.
(d) (2 points) Find <px> and <px2> for this wavefunction.
(e) (3 points) Compute Δx = σx and Δpx = σ p x . Is the product ΔxΔpx consistent with the
uncertainty principle?
(Hint: see Griffiths section 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6)

Problem 3 (16 points): Consider a particle of mass m described by the wavefunction

ψ ( x, t ) = Ae − a ( mx / h + it ) ,
2

where A and a are positive real constants and i = − 1 .

(a) (1 point) Find the value of A that normalizes this wavefunction such that
+∞

∫ ρ ( x)dx = 1 .
−∞
(b) (2 points) For what potential energy function V(x) does Ψ satisfy Schrödinger’s equation?
(c) (4 points) Calculate the expectation values of x, x2, px, and px2.
(d) (3 points) Compute Δx and Δpx. Is the product ΔxΔpx consistent with the uncertainty
principle?
(e) (6 points) The kinetic energy, T, of the particle is defined by
px2
T= .
2m
Calculate the expectation value of the kinetic energy T. What is ΔT for this state?
(Hint: see Griffiths section 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6)

Problem 4 (10 points): Use Schrödinger’s equation to show that the time derivative of the
expectation value of px is equal to the expectation value of minus the derivative of the potential,
V(x). Namely,
d < px > ∂V
= − .
dt ∂x
(Hint: take V(x) to be a real function, see Griffiths 1.5 and integrate by parts)

Problem 5 (12 points): The time dependent Schrödinger equation is given by

∂ψ ( x, t ) h 2 ∂ 2ψ ( x, t )
ih =− + V ( x)ψ ( x, t ) .
∂t 2m ∂x 2
Suppose that the potential V(x) is complex and Ψ(x,t) is a (normalizable) wavefunction.
(a) (2 points) Use Schrödinger’s equation to show that in general
∂ρ ( x, t ) ∂j ( x, t ) 2
+ = h ImV ( x) ρ ( x, t ) ,
∂t ∂x
where ρ(x,t) is the probability density defined by
ρ ( x, t ) = ψ ( x, t ) ≡ ψ ∗ ( x, t )ψ ( x, t ) ,
2

and j(x,t) is the probability current given by

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PHY4604 Fall 2007 Problem Set 1

ih ⎛ ∂ψ ∗ ∂ψ ⎞
j ( x, t ) = ⎜⎜ψ −ψ ∗ ⎟⎟ .
2m ⎝ ∂x ∂x ⎠
(b) (2 points) Show that
+∞
d
dt −∫∞
ρ ( x, t )dx = h2 < ImV ( x) > .

(c) (2 points) Use the results from (a) and (b) to show that if V(x) is a real function then
∂ρ ( x, t ) ∂j ( x, t )
+ =0,
∂t ∂x
and
+∞
d
dt −∫∞
ρ ( x, t )dx = 0 .

(d) (2 points) If V(x) is a real function, show that

+∞
d
dt − ∞∫ψ 1∗ ( x, t )ψ 2 ( x, t )dx = 0 ,

For any two (normalizable) solutions to Schrödinger’s equation, Ψ1 and Ψ2.

(e) (2 points) Let Pab(t) be the probability of finding a particle in the range, a < x < b, at time t.
Namely,
b b
Pab (t ) = ∫ ρ ( x, t )dx ≡ ∫ψ ∗ ( x, t )ψ ( x, t )dx .
a a

If V(x) is a real function, use (c) to show that

dPab (t )
= j (a, t ) − j (b, t ) .
dt
(f) (2 points) Find the probability current for the wave function given in Problem 2.
(Hint: see Griffiths section 1.4)

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