Do constant and exponential wave functions represent the same quantum state?

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 2K views
Axiom17
Messages
70
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



To determine whether two wave functions, [itex]\psi_{1}[/itex] and [itex]\psi_{1}[/itex] correspond to the same quantum state of a particle.

Homework Equations



Calculations (simplified):

[tex]\psi_{1}(x,y,z)=A[/tex]

[tex]\psi_{2}(x,y,z)=e^{z}A[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



The two wave functions do correspond to the same quantum state. However I can't figure out the correct wording to explain this. At the moment I just have that "[itex]\psi_{1}[/itex] is equal to [itex]\psi_{2}[/itex] with respect to the independent variable [itex]z[/itex] in the term [itex]e^{z}[/itex]".

Hopefully that's correct, or at least it makes some sense.. sure there's probably a better (more correct) way to write it though. :shy:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Axiom17 said:

Homework Statement



To determine whether two wave functions, [itex]\psi_{1}[/itex] and [itex]\psi_{1}[/itex] correspond to the same quantum state of a particle.

Homework Equations



Calculations (simplified):

[tex]\psi_{1}(x,y,z)=A[/tex]

[tex]\psi_{2}(x,y,z)=e^{z}A[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



The two wave functions do correspond to the same quantum state. However I can't figure out the correct wording to explain this. At the moment I just have that "[itex]\psi_{1}[/itex] is equal to [itex]\psi_{2}[/itex] with respect to the independent variable [itex]z[/itex] in the term [itex]e^{z}[/itex]".

Hopefully that's correct, or at least it makes some sense.. sure there's probably a better (more correct) way to write it though. :shy:

You should use the relation of wavefunctions to quantum states. For instance in the coordinate basis [tex]|\vec{x}\rangle[/tex], we can write

[tex]|\psi_1 \rangle = \int d\vec{x}~ \psi_1(\vec{x}) |\vec{x}\rangle .[/tex]

Then one way to show that two wavefunctions describe the same state would be to show that

[tex]\langle \vec{x}|\psi_1 \rangle =\langle\vec{x}|\psi_2 \rangle[/tex]
 
Are you sure there is [tex]e^z[/tex] and not [tex]e^{iz}[/tex] in your problem? Just checking ...