Hydrogen excitation (griffiths 9.1)

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around solving problem 9.1 from Griffiths' quantum mechanics book, focusing on hydrogen wavefunctions and allowed excitations between energy levels n=1 and n=2. It is noted that only one excitation is permitted to simplify integration, but the specific wavefunctions that do not apply are unclear. Participants discuss the vanishing of certain integrands due to symmetry, specifically those that are odd in z or contain e^{+/- i φ}. The conversation also includes casual interactions among students, indicating a collaborative study environment. Overall, the thread emphasizes the challenge of identifying the correct wavefunctions for the problem.
wizzart
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I'm trying to solve problem 9.1 from griffiths book on quantum mechanics. I've written down the hydrogen wavefunctions for all combinations allowed of n, l and m. Now according to griffiths (and my memory) only one excitation is actually allowed between n=1 and n=2. This would minimize the amount of integration. Problem is, I can't find out which wave functions have no business here. Any help would be welcome, spec. if you could give the correct set of n,l,m and motivation (so don't start TEX-ing in all the wave functions, there in the book).
 
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As you are integrating over all of space all integrands that are odd in z vanish. Furthermore integrands containing e^{+/- i \phi} vanish for more or less the same reason.
 
tx

slowly figuring it out...Thanks Willem, see you on Friday
 
wizzart said:
slowly figuring it out...Thanks Willem, see you on Friday

:biggrin: :-p Wizzart...aka?!
 
:smile: Rutger, 4th year student, doing lotsa 3rd year stuff. Usually talking with people like Egge, Erwin or Martijn. Check the picture on my website, probably more useful than vague descriptions... :smile:
 
Aha, Rutger... Nice site, and cartoons! I especially liked the one about Steve Vai :wink: . Good luck studying QM...
 

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