- #1
PsychonautQQ
- 784
- 10
So my professor said that the Kinetic energy of the particle in a 3D infinite well is dependent on position where in a 1D infinite well it's NOT dependent on position. She is sort of notorious for being wrong apparently and many of my undergrads are telling me she is wrong.
I understand that in a one dimensional infinite well the wavelength will be well defined so the energy will be well defined and constant everywhere, but in a 3D infinite well where the ratio of n/L for each dimension (x,y,z) are not equal to each other, therefore the wavelength of in the x y and z direction will be different and when you combine the wavefunctions to get the surface that fits the given dimensions of the well, the wavelength won't be well defined so it seems energy of the particle won't be well defined either...
where is my thinking wrong/right??
I understand that in a one dimensional infinite well the wavelength will be well defined so the energy will be well defined and constant everywhere, but in a 3D infinite well where the ratio of n/L for each dimension (x,y,z) are not equal to each other, therefore the wavelength of in the x y and z direction will be different and when you combine the wavefunctions to get the surface that fits the given dimensions of the well, the wavelength won't be well defined so it seems energy of the particle won't be well defined either...
where is my thinking wrong/right??