Hydrogen excitation (griffiths 9.1)

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around problem 9.1 from Griffiths' quantum mechanics textbook, specifically focusing on the excitation of hydrogen wavefunctions between the n=1 and n=2 energy levels. Participants are exploring which combinations of quantum numbers (n, l, m) are permissible for this excitation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to identify the allowed wavefunctions for excitation between n=1 and n=2, expressing uncertainty about which combinations are relevant. Another participant notes the behavior of integrands during integration over space, suggesting that certain terms will vanish due to their odd symmetry.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, with some guidance provided regarding the nature of the integrands. The original poster acknowledges progress in understanding, indicating a productive direction in the discussion.

Contextual Notes

There is an emphasis on minimizing integration by identifying the correct wavefunctions, and participants are encouraged to avoid extensive derivations or detailed expressions from the textbook.

wizzart
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I'm trying to solve problem 9.1 from griffiths book on quantum mechanics. I've written down the hydrogen wavefunctions for all combinations allowed of n, l and m. Now according to griffiths (and my memory) only one excitation is actually allowed between n=1 and n=2. This would minimize the amount of integration. Problem is, I can't find out which wave functions have no business here. Any help would be welcome, spec. if you could give the correct set of n,l,m and motivation (so don't start TEX-ing in all the wave functions, there in the book).
 
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As you are integrating over all of space all integrands that are odd in z vanish. Furthermore integrands containing [itex]e^{+/- i \phi}[/itex] vanish for more or less the same reason.
 
tx

slowly figuring it out...Thanks Willem, see you on Friday
 
wizzart said:
slowly figuring it out...Thanks Willem, see you on Friday

:biggrin: :-p Wizzart...aka?!
 
:smile: Rutger, 4th year student, doing lotsa 3rd year stuff. Usually talking with people like Egge, Erwin or Martijn. Check the picture on my website, probably more useful than vague descriptions... :smile:
 
Aha, Rutger... Nice site, and cartoons! I especially liked the one about Steve Vai :wink: . Good luck studying QM...
 

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