Quantum particle in a 1D Quantum particle in a 1D Quantum particle in a 1D Quantum particle in a 1D- -- -box box box box

A quantum particle is free to move within an infinite 1D-potential well

of length L excited on the second excited state (n = 3).

1. Write the wave function for this particle:
( )
|

\
|
=
L
x
L
x

3
sin
2


2. What is the probability to locate the particle between 0 = x and
3
L
x = ?
Need to solve :

\
|
3
0
2
3
sin
2
L
dx
L
x
L

Steps: a) Change of variable:
L
x
u
3
=
b) Calculate the infinitesimal element: du
L
dx
3
=
b) Find new limits of integration:

= =
= =
u x
u x
0
0 0


Then solve the integral
( )
3
1
4
2 sin
2 3
2
sin
3
2
3
sin
2
0
0
2
0
2
=
(

= =



u u
du u du
L
u
L



3. What is the probability for finding the particle between 0 and L?

1
2
3
3
2
sin
3
2 3
sin
2
3
0
2
0
2
= = =
|

\
|

du u
L
L
dx
L
x
L
L
or 100%.

4. The energy of this quantum particle on the ground state is 2 eV. What is
the energy that the particle needs to get excited from the ground state on the
2
nd
excited state? The energy levels vary as E = n
2
E
0.


V e E E E E E V e E
n n
16 8 9 2
0 0 0 1 3 0
= = = =
= =



5. Set-up the integral that you need to solve in order to get the average
position of the particle, x on the 2
nd
excited state.



= |

\
|
|

\
|
=

3
0
2
2
2
0
sin
9
2 3
sin
2
dx u u
L
dx
L
x
L
x x
L