PHY 373 Exam 1

Raghuveer Achukola, ra25544

March 5, 2016
1. Problem 1: We have the wave equation of the form:
2

(x, t) = Ae2x e+3ix e4it

(a) We attempt to find A:
We know that the this wavefunction must be normalizable, i.e :
Z
= 1

We can find the conjugate wavefunction:

2

= Ae2x e3ix e+4it

Thus:

The list of integrals gave us:

A2 e4x = 1

ax2

p
= /a, thus:
r 

A2
=1
4
A=

  41
4

(b) We find the expectation value of x

Z

hxi =

x =

This is an integral of an odd function over symmetric bounds.

hxi = 0
(c) We attempt to find the expectation value of momentum:


Z
Z
Z
h
h
hpi =
P =

=
x
i x
i

We find the derivative of = Ae2x

hpi =

h
i

+3ix 4it

Z

x = (4x + 3i)

Z

(4x ) +
(3i )

This can easily be rewritten:

hpi =

h
(4hxi + 3i (1)) = (3i)
i
i

Thus:
hpi = 3
h
1

2. Problem 2: We have a harmonic oscillator in the state:

r
r
2
3
iE0 t
(x, t) =
0 e
+
1 eiE1 t
5
5
(a) What is E0 and E1 ? The energies of a harmonic oscillator are given by:


1
E = n+
h
2
Here we are told that h
= m = 1 and = 4. Thus:
E0 = 2
E1 = 6
(b) What is hx(t)i? We have:
Z

x =

hx(t)i =

We first need to find out :

r

2 2it
e
+
5 0

3 6it
e
5 1

But the eigenstates n of a harmonic oscillator are real so:

r
r
2 2it
3

e
+
1 e6it
=
5 0
5
!

Z
6
6
2 2 3 2
+6it2it
6it+2it
hx(t)i =
x
+ +
0 1 e
+
0 1 e
5 0 5 1
5
5

Note that ei + ei = cos + i sin + cos i sin = 2 cos :

!

Z
2 2 3 2 2 6
hx(t)i =
x
+ +
0 1 cos(4t)
5 0 5 1
5

Now: we know that the even number eigenstates of a harmonic oscillator are even functions and
the odd numbered eigenstates of a harmonic oscillator are odd functions. Thus (and can be shown
mathematically) 0 is even, 1 is odd. Then: 02 and 12 are even, and 0 1 is odd. Thus: x02
and x12 is odd, and x0 1 is even. Thus the first two terms are odd functions integrated over
symmetric bounds:

Z
2 6
cos(4t)
hx(t)i = 0 +
x0 1 dx
5

The equations for the eigenstates of a harmonic oscillator are: substituting = 4, h = m = 1

  14
2
4
0 =
e2x

  41

2
4
2xe2x
1 =

Thus
r
2 2 4x2
x0 1 = 2
x e

Thus:

Z
2
8 3
hx(t)i = cos(4t)
x2 e4x
5

R 2 x2 p
= 43 . Thus:
We have from our integral tables : x e
r
8 3
hx(t)i =
cos(4t)
5 44

3
hx(t)i =
cos(4t)
10

3. Problem 3. We have a delta function barrier of V = V0 (x) where V0 = 2. Let Region I be the region
to the left of the barrier and Region II be the region to the right. We are told a particle of mass m
and energy E is moving from left to right starting in Region I.
(a) We begin to solve the Schrodinger equation in the two regions. We notice that since this is a
particle wave with positive energy we are looking for scattering states(E > 0), not bound states
(E < 0). Thus the Schrodinger equation becomes:

2
h
x x + 0 = E
2m

Again assuming h
2 /2m = 1 as we are told to do in the problem, we have
x x = E
in both Region 1 and Region 2. The solution to this equation given E > 0 is:
I = Aeikx + Beikx
II = F eikx + Geikx

where k = E. The eikx term represents a wave moving in the +x direction, i.e the incident
wave in Region I and the wave transmitted through the delta wall to Region II. The eikx term
represents a wave moving in the -x direction. This is possible in Region I (through reflection from
the potential barrier) but is impossible in Region II (where is the wave coming from?). Thus we
can simplify:
I = Aeikx + Beikx
II = F eikx
(b) The boundary conditions we employ is that the wavefunction must always be continuous no
matter the finite or infinite discontinuity in the potential. Thus:
I (0) = II (0) = A + B = F
The second boundary condition does not require that the derivatives are continuous become there
is an infinite discontinuity in the potential. Instead the discontinuous derivative must equal the
discontinuous derivative of a delta potential:


x 
= +2mV0 /h2 (0) = 2(0)
x=0

The discontinous derivative is equal to the derivative of II minus the derivative of I





= x 
= +2mV0 /h2 (0) = 2F
(ikF eikx ikAeikx + ikBeikx )
x=0

x=0

or:
(ik)(F A + B) = 2F
(c) We now attempt to solve the boundary conditions to get probabilities of transmission and reflection given a particle of energy E = +3.
(ik)(B A) = (2 ik)F
B =F A
Thus:
(ik)(F 2A) = (2 ik)F
2ikA = (2 2ik)F
F
ik
=
A
1 ik
The Probability of transmission is:
P (trans) =

kikk
k2
= 2
k1 ikk
k +1

But k 2 = E as seen in Part a!. Thus:

T =

E
3
=
E+1
4