FrogPad
- 801
- 0
I haven't taken one of the recommended courses for a class I am in, so I'm playing a little catch-up here.
Q: The wave function of an electron in a one-dimensional infinite square well of width a,x -> (0,a) at time t=0 is given by:
[tex]\psi (x,0) \sqrt{\frac{2}{7}}\psi_1(x) + \sqrt{\frac{5}{7}}\psi_2(x)[/tex]
where [tex]\psi_1(x)[/tex] and [tex]\psi_2(x)[/tex] are the ground and first excited stationary state of the system respectively, [tex]\psi_n(x)=\sqrt{\frac{2}{a}}\sin (n\pix/a), \,\,\, E_n = n^2\pi^2 \bar h^2/(2ma^2), \,], n=1,2,...[/tex]
a) Write down the wavefunction at time t in terms of [tex]\psi_1(x)[/tex] and [tex]\psi_2(x)[/tex].
b) You measure the energy of an electron at time t=0. Write down possible values of the energy and the probability of measuring each.
c) Calculate the expectation value of hte energy in the state [tex]\psi(x,t)[/tex] above.
----
I am lost here. I am stuck on (a) right now, and really do not know where to go. To me it looks like [tex]\psi_n(x)[/tex] is the wavefunction already solved from the Schrödinger equation (with the boundary conditions 0 and a). So I need to express the total wavefunction in terms of two states psi_1, and psi_2. This to me seems like another condition that would come from a differential equation something with a time dependence. I am lost...
Would someone nudge me in a proper direction?
thanks,
Q: The wave function of an electron in a one-dimensional infinite square well of width a,x -> (0,a) at time t=0 is given by:
[tex]\psi (x,0) \sqrt{\frac{2}{7}}\psi_1(x) + \sqrt{\frac{5}{7}}\psi_2(x)[/tex]
where [tex]\psi_1(x)[/tex] and [tex]\psi_2(x)[/tex] are the ground and first excited stationary state of the system respectively, [tex]\psi_n(x)=\sqrt{\frac{2}{a}}\sin (n\pix/a), \,\,\, E_n = n^2\pi^2 \bar h^2/(2ma^2), \,], n=1,2,...[/tex]
a) Write down the wavefunction at time t in terms of [tex]\psi_1(x)[/tex] and [tex]\psi_2(x)[/tex].
b) You measure the energy of an electron at time t=0. Write down possible values of the energy and the probability of measuring each.
c) Calculate the expectation value of hte energy in the state [tex]\psi(x,t)[/tex] above.
----
I am lost here. I am stuck on (a) right now, and really do not know where to go. To me it looks like [tex]\psi_n(x)[/tex] is the wavefunction already solved from the Schrödinger equation (with the boundary conditions 0 and a). So I need to express the total wavefunction in terms of two states psi_1, and psi_2. This to me seems like another condition that would come from a differential equation something with a time dependence. I am lost...
Would someone nudge me in a proper direction?
thanks,