What Are the Correct Statements About a Quantum Harmonic Oscillator?

neelakash
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Homework Statement



For a 1D QM harmonic oscillator,

(a) the discrete energy states are nhw

(b) the discrete energy states are (n+0.5)hw

(c) the lowest energy state wave function is ~\exp^\frac{-\alpha^2\ x^2}{2}

(d) the probabilty of finding the particle outside the classical limit is non-zero.

Homework Equations



The Attempt at a Solution



I think (b) and (c) are correct...by theory...

Should not (d) be also correct?--outside the classical limit=>inside quantum domain...
 
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Yes, d is also correct. It is useful to do the calculation (one time in your life; and the sooner the better) to estimate the probability of finding the particle in its ground state outside the classical turning points.
 
To solve this, I first used the units to work out that a= m* a/m, i.e. t=z/λ. This would allow you to determine the time duration within an interval section by section and then add this to the previous ones to obtain the age of the respective layer. However, this would require a constant thickness per year for each interval. However, since this is most likely not the case, my next consideration was that the age must be the integral of a 1/λ(z) function, which I cannot model.
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