PH204 Assignment-1 -11th Jan 2021

• problems to be submitted on 19th Jan

1. • Consider the following wavefunction for the particle in the one-dimensional box at
t = 0:
ψ(x, t = 0) = √15L sin( πx
L
) + √25L sin( 3πx
L
)
(a) Find the wavefunction ψ(x, t) at time t and show that it is a non-stationary state
(that is, the probablity density is time-dependent)
(b) What will be the possible results of measurement of the system’s energy and the
corresponding probabilites.

2. • Calculate the reflection coefficient (R) and the transmission coefficient (T) for scat-
tering off a repulsive delta function potential V (x) = aVo δ(x).

3. Consider the wavefunction for a free particle in three dimensions as

1 3/2
ψ(~r) = ( ) exp (i~p.~r)
2πh̄
Determine the probability current density.

4. A particle is in one-dimensional double well potential

V (x) = −gδ(x − a) − gδ(x + a)

Show that the ground state has even parity and that it always exists. Sketch the
solution to show that the first excited state may exist only for sufficiently large values
if the seperation 2a.

5. • Take the wavefunction of a particle in a box in an arbitrary superposed state. Show

that the expectation value of energy in this state will satisfy hEi ≥ En=1 .

6. Show that every attractive potential in one dimension has at least one bound state
 1/4
a
with negative energy.[Hint- choose a trial function ψ(x) = π
exp(−αx2 /2) and use
the result of the previous problem.

7. Find the current density for the one dimensional wavefunction ψ(x) = Ae(ipx/h̄) +
Be(−ipx/h̄) , and show that it is possible to associate a current density seperately for
each part of the wavefunction.

Suggested Reading
Quantum Bouncing Ball-
See http : //www.uark.edu/misc/julio/bouncing ball/bouncing ball.html. Basically, find-
ing ψ(x, t) for a particle in a gravitational potential energy V (z) = mgz- You can take a
look at the paper:The American Journal of Physics, 67, 776-782 (1999)