Particle in a box with one finite wall and one infinite wall

In summary, you would treat the particle as if it was trapped in a finite walled well, and only take the odd solutions.
  • #1
EnSlavingBlair
36
6
Hello all, I came across what I think is a very interesting question the other day;

How would you treat a particle trapped in a square well that had one finite wall and one infinite wall? Say for En~(n*pi*(h-bar))2/(2m(L+2d)2) would you replace the 2d by 1d? As you can only find the infinite 'wall' outside one of the walls? And what affects would it have on other areas, in comparison to either a normal finite square well or an infinite one?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Treat it as a finite wall and take only the odd solutions.
 
  • #3
nSlavingBlair said:
Hello all, I came across what I think is a very interesting question the other day;

How would you treat a particle trapped in a square well that had one finite wall and one infinite wall? Say for En~(n*pi*(h-bar))2/(2m(L+2d)2) would you replace the 2d by 1d? As you can only find the infinite 'wall' outside one of the walls? And what affects would it have on other areas, in comparison to either a normal finite square well or an infinite one?


I don't understand what you are describing ... are you talking about an infinite well with a narrower finite well at the bottom? Are you talking about a case where, say, the left hand wall is infinite and the right hand wall is finite? Or something else altogether?
 
  • #4
So you could think of it similar to a closed cylinder air column, with a node at the closed end (infinite wall) and an antinode at the open end (finite wall)?
 
  • #5
SpectraCat said:
Are you talking about a case where, say, the left hand wall is infinite and the right hand wall is finite?

That is exactly what I mean, sorry if my explanation was ambiguous.
 

What is a "Particle in a box with one finite wall and one infinite wall"?

A "Particle in a box with one finite wall and one infinite wall" is a theoretical model used in quantum mechanics to describe the behavior of a particle confined to a one-dimensional space between two walls, where one wall is finite and the other is infinite.

What is the significance of this model?

This model is significant because it allows scientists to understand the behavior of particles in confined spaces, which has important applications in fields such as nanotechnology and materials science.

How is this model different from other models used in quantum mechanics?

Unlike other models, the "Particle in a box with one finite wall and one infinite wall" model assumes that the walls are impenetrable and the particle has zero potential energy outside of the box. This simplification allows for easier calculations and insights into the behavior of particles in confined spaces.

What are some real-world examples that can be described using this model?

This model can be applied to various real-world scenarios, such as the behavior of electrons in a semiconductor, the confinement of atoms in a laser trap, and the motion of molecules in a nanoscale channel.

What are some limitations of this model?

This model is a simplified representation of the behavior of particles and does not take into account factors such as the effects of temperature, interactions between particles, and the uncertainty principle. It is also limited to only one dimension and cannot be applied to more complex systems.

Similar threads

Replies
4
Views
949
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
15
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
3
Views
829
Replies
1
Views
614
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
27
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
41
Views
8K
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
3
Views
1K
Back
Top