Normalizing etc. Wavefunction of hydrogen atom

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around normalizing the wavefunction of a hydrogen atom, specifically the expression for a single electron's wavefunction in spherical coordinates. Participants are examining the normalization constant A in the context of quantum mechanics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • One participant attempts to separate the wavefunction into radial and angular components, using spherical harmonics for normalization. Another questions the choice of quantum numbers l and m, suggesting a need for a more general approach. There is also discussion about the implications of the wavefunction not being an energy eigenfunction and the method for calculating probabilities related to the ground state.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with some participants providing supportive feedback on the methods used while others raise questions about the assumptions made, particularly regarding the choice of quantum numbers and the interpretation of the wavefunction's properties.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the problem lacks a definitive solution and express uncertainty about the correctness of their approaches. There is also mention of homework constraints that may affect the interpretation of the wavefunction.

Kentaxel
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Homework Statement



Find the constant A such that the equation

\psi(r,\theta,\varphi)=\sqrt{6\pi}A\sqrt{r}e^{-r/a}

Wich describes one electron in a hydrogenatom, is normalized

The Attempt at a Solution


I figured this equation is seperable in the form

\psi(r,\theta,\varphi)=R(r)Y_{l,m}(\theta,\varphi)

Such that Y_{l,m} is the first spherical harmonic

Y_{0,0}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{4\pi}}

Enabling me to write ψ in the form

\sqrt{24}{\pi}A\sqrt{r}e^{-r/a}Y_{0,0}(\theta\varphi)

and since the spherical harmonics are all normalized it is suficient to normalize this acording to

\int\left|\sqrt{24}{\pi}A\sqrt{r}e^{-r/a}\right|^2 r^2 dr =1

Which gives me the result

A=\frac{1}{3\pi^2 a^4}the problem is just that there is no solution available and I am not exactly 100% that this is correct so i would appreciate some input.
 
Last edited:
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Your solving way is right. But why you choose l=0, m=o. I think you have to write in general form i.e.,

I attached file.
 

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Kentaxel said:

Homework Statement



Find the constant A such that the equation

\psi(r,\theta,\varphi)=\sqrt{6\pi}A\sqrt{r}e^{-r/a}

Wich describes one electron in a hydrogenatom, is normalized

The Attempt at a Solution


I figured this equation is seperable in the form

\psi(r,\theta,\varphi)=R(r)Y_{l,m}(\theta,\varphi)

Such that Y_{l,m} is the first spherical harmonic

Y_{0,0}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{4\pi}}

Enabling me to write ψ in the form

\sqrt{24}{\pi}A\sqrt{r}e^{-r/a}Y_{0,0}(\theta\varphi)

and since the spherical harmonics are all normalized it is suficient to normalize this acording to

\int\left|\sqrt{24}{\pi}A\sqrt{r}e^{-r/a}\right|^2 r^2 dr =1

Which gives me the result

A=\frac{1}{3\pi^2 a^4}


the problem is just that there is no solution available and I am not exactly 100% that this is correct so i would appreciate some input.
Method seems fine. Viewing it as a spherical harmonic though is unnecessary. All you needed to do was integrate the given wave function over all space and the angular contributions would give 4pi (full solid angle).
 
The reason i choose to separate it was because of the following questions which are

Show that ψ is not an energy eigenfunction.

and

Compute the probability to find the system in the groundstate of the hamilton operator when measuring the energy.

Where regarding the first one i thought that in writing the given wavefunction in that form it was obvious that it is not one of the solutions listed for an electron in a hydrogenic atom. This however feels allot like a guess on my part.

For the second one i used the fact that i knew l and m was 0 and tried to solve it by taking \left|c_{1,0,0}\right| ^2 = \left|<\psi_{1,0,0}|\psi > \right| ^2

Otherwise how would i know what groundstate psi to use?

Edit: actually since the ground state is non degenerate i suppose that would not matter?
 
Last edited:

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