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denjay
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Homework Statement
Consider a charged particle of mass m in a harmonic potential and in the presence also of an
external electric field E = E[itex]\hat{i}[/itex]. The potential for this problem is simply
V(x) = 1/2 mw[itex]^{2}[/itex]x[itex]^{2}[/itex] - qεx
where q is the charge of the particle.
1) Show that a simple change of variables turns this problem into one of a particle under
only a harmonic oscillator potential. (Hint: Complete the square.)
Homework Equations
(ax-b)[itex]^{2}[/itex] = a[itex]^{2}[/itex]x[itex]^{2}[/itex] - 2abx + b[itex]^{2}[/itex]
The Attempt at a Solution
So I know the way to simplify the potential is by completing the square. I only know the way of completing the square when a quadratic equation is equal to 0 but in this case it's a function. So with that formula for (ax-b)[itex]^{2}[/itex] I believe 1/2 mw[itex]^{2}[/itex] is a[itex]^{2}[/itex] and -2ab is -qε but I'm unsure.
So what I got was that b = qε/(2mw[itex]^{2}[/itex]) so the equation is
V(x) = 1/2 mw[itex]^{2}[/itex]x[itex]^{2}[/itex] - qεx + q[itex]^{2}[/itex]ε[itex]^{2}[/itex]/2m[itex]w^{2}[/itex] - q[itex]^{2}[/itex]ε[itex]^{2}[/itex]/2m[itex]w^{2}[/itex] = ([itex]\sqrt{1/2 mw^{2}}x[/itex] - qε/[itex]\sqrt{2mw^2}[/itex])^2 - q[itex]^{2}[/itex]ε[itex]^{2}[/itex]/2m[itex]w^{2}[/itex]
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