Find Expectation Value of Wavefunction in 1-D Box

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves finding the expectation value of position for an electron described by a wavefunction in a one-dimensional box of length L. The wavefunction is a linear combination of the ground and first-excited stationary states.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the process of calculating the expectation value, including the need to multiply the wavefunction by its complex conjugate and integrate over the appropriate limits. There are questions about the integration limits and the complexity of the integrals involved.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on the correct integration limits and suggested methods for handling the integrals. There is acknowledgment of the challenges posed by the integrals, and some participants express uncertainty about their approach.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the integration limits should be from 0 to L, rather than from -infinity to infinity, which is a critical assumption in the problem setup.

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OK, here is the problem:

An electron is in a 1-D box of length L. Its wavefunction is a linear combination of the ground and first-excited stationary states (and here it is):

[tex]\phi(x,t) = \sqrt\frac{2}{L}[sin (\frac {\pi x} {L})e^{-i \omega_1 t} + sin\frac {2 \pi x}{L} e^{-i \omega_2 t}][/tex]

where [tex]E_1 = \hbar\omega_1 = \frac{\pi^2 \hbar^2}{2mL^2}[/tex], and [tex]E_2 = \hbar\omega_2 = \frac{4 \pi^2 \hbar^2}{2mL^2}[/tex]

First, I need to find the expectation value <x> for the wavefunction.

It seems to me that I need to multiply the wavefunction by its complex conjugate, put x in the middle, and integrate from -infinity to infinity. But attempting to do this yields some nasty integrals, like [tex]\int x sin^2 (\frac{\pi x}{L})[/tex] and [tex]\int sin(\frac{\pi x}{L})sin(\frac{2 \pi x}{L})e^{it(\omega_2-\omega_1)}[/tex] ; am I just doing this completely wrong or do I need to plow through the integrals?
 
Last edited:
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Well, Integrals might be nasty... But you are wrong about your integration limits, they're [0,L] and not [-inf,inf].
 
Thanks, I was wondering about that too. But I'm doing it correctly otherwise? I don't even know how to begin that second integral. Guh.
 
Well, you should use the formulae that convert a sine multiplication to a sum of cosines... Sorry, Integrals in QM are ugly... And it only gets worse...
 
Whenever I have an integral that isn't a basic polynomial or trig function, and I can't recognize a simple substitution that will solve it, I pull out my CRC Handbook of Mathematical Tables and look it up. I tell my students that doing this is OK, so long as they give me a reference: the name of the book or the address of the Web site, and the number that it uses to identify the integral.
 
Yeah, I think I figured them out, thanks to you guys :)
 

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