Expectation value of kinetic energy

In summary, the conversation discusses the calculation of the expectation value of the kinetic energy for a particle confined in a region -4≤X≤6, with a given hypothetical wave function. Using the normalized wave function, the value of A is found to be 3/250. The attempt at solving the problem using the expression for kinetic energy results in a value of zero, which is incorrect. The correct solution given by the book is -\frac{h^2}{2m}\frac{3}{250}(0*1-5*2+0*1)=\frac{3h^2}{50m}. The error in the attempt is attributed to the fact that the second derivative of the function is not zero
  • #1
White_M
9
0

Homework Statement



Given the following hypothetic wave function for a particle confined in a region -4≤X≤6:

ψ(x)= A(4+x) for -4≤x≤1
A(6-x) for 1≤x≤6
0 otherwise


Using the normalized wave function, calculate the expectation value of the kinetic energy.

Homework Equations



I used ∫ψ*ψdx=1 to normaize the function and got that |A|^2=3/250.

The Attempt at a Solution


I know that T=[itex]\frac{\hat{P^2}}{2m}[/itex]=[itex]\frac{-h^2}{2m}[/itex][itex]\frac{d^2}{dx^2}[/itex]
I tried to calculate it using <T>=∫ψ*Tψ using the expression above and got zero which is not correct.

The solution given by the book is <T>=-[itex]\frac{h^2}{2m}[/itex][itex]\frac{3}{250}[/itex](0*1-5*2+0*1)=[itex]\frac{3h^2}{50m}[/itex]

p.s
h in the formulas above is [itex]\frac{h}{2pi}[/itex]

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks. Y.
 
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  • #2
The second derivative is not zero everywhere.
 

What is the expectation value of kinetic energy?

The expectation value of kinetic energy is the average value of the kinetic energy of a system, calculated using the probability distribution of the system's particles.

How is the expectation value of kinetic energy calculated?

The expectation value of kinetic energy is calculated by taking the integral of the kinetic energy operator over the system's wavefunction.

Why is the expectation value of kinetic energy useful?

The expectation value of kinetic energy is useful because it allows us to predict the average amount of kinetic energy that a system will have, which can help us understand and model the behavior of the system.

Is the expectation value of kinetic energy always positive?

No, the expectation value of kinetic energy can be positive, negative, or zero, depending on the specific system and its wavefunction.

How does the expectation value of kinetic energy relate to the uncertainty principle?

The expectation value of kinetic energy is related to the uncertainty principle in that a more accurately determined value for the kinetic energy will result in a larger uncertainty in the position of the system, and vice versa.

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