Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.

16 Page 1 of 4

Problem 1.16
A particle is represented (at time t = 0) by the wave function
(
A(a2 − x2 ), −a ≤ x ≤ +a,
Ψ(x, 0) =
0, otherwise.

(a) Determine the normalization constant A.

(b) What is the expectation value of x?

(c) What is the expectation value of p? (Note that you cannot get it from hpi = mdhxi/dt.
Why not?)

(d) Find the expectation value of x2 .

(e) Find the expectation value of p2 .

(f ) Find the uncertainty in x (σx ).

(g) Find the uncertainty in p (σp ).

(h) Check that your results are consistent with the uncertainty principle.

Solution

Normalize the wave function by requiring the integral of |Ψ(x, 0)|2 over the whole line to be 1.
ˆ ∞
1= |Ψ(x, 0)|2 dx
−∞
ˆ ∞
= Ψ(x, 0)Ψ∗ (x, 0) dx
−∞
ˆ−a ˆ a ˆ ∞
= 02 dx + [A(a2 − x2 )]2 dx + 02 dx
ˆ−∞
a
−a a

= A2 (a4 − 2a2 x2 + x4 ) dx
−a
ˆ a
2
= 2A (a4 − 2a2 x2 + x4 ) dx
0 a
2 4 2a2 3 x5 
= 2A a x − x +
3 5 0
2a5 a5
 
= 2A2 a5 − +
3 5
5
16a 2
= A
15
Solve for A. r
1 15
A=
4 a5

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.16 Page 2 of 4

According to Born’s interpretation, |Ψ(x, 0)|2 represents the probability distribution for the
particle’s position at time t = 0. Use it to calculate the expectation value of x at t = 0.
ˆ ∞ ˆ ∞
2
x|Ψ(x, 0)| dx x|Ψ(x, 0)|2 dx ˆ ∞
hxi = ˆ ∞
−∞
= −∞
= x|Ψ(x, 0)|2 dx
2 1 −∞
|Ψ(x, 0)| dx
−∞
ˆ " r
a
#2
1 15 2
= x 5
(a − x2 ) dx
−a 4 a
ˆ a
15
= x(a2 − x2 )2 dx
16a5 −a
=0

This last integral is zero because the integrand is an odd function and the integration interval is
symmetric. Now calculate the expectation value of x2 at t = 0.
ˆ ∞ ˆ ∞
2 2
x |Ψ(x, 0)| dx x2 |Ψ(x, 0)|2 dx ˆ ∞
hx2 i = −∞ˆ ∞ = −∞ = x2 |Ψ(x, 0)|2 dx
2 1 −∞
|Ψ(x, 0)| dx
−∞
ˆ a
" r #2
21 15 2 2
= x (a − x ) dx
−a 4 a5
ˆ a
15
= x2 (a2 − x2 )2 dx
16a5 −a
ˆ a
15
= x2 (a2 − x2 )2 dx
8a5 0
ˆ a
15
= (a4 x2 − 2a2 x4 + x6 ) dx
8a5 0
a3 a5 a7
 
15 4 2
= a × − 2a × +
8a5 3 5 7
a 2
=
7
Then the uncertainty in x at t = 0 is
r
p a2 a
σx = hx2 i − hxi2 = =√ .
7 7
Note that the wave function’s time evolution is obtained by solving Schrödinger’s equation.

∂Ψ i~ ∂ 2 Ψ i
= − V (x, t)Ψ(x, t)
∂t 2m ∂x2 ~
Take the complex conjugate of both sides to get the corresponding equation for Ψ∗ .

∂Ψ∗ i~ ∂ 2 Ψ∗ i
=− 2
+ V (x, t)Ψ∗ (x, t)
∂t 2m ∂x ~

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.16 Page 3 of 4

Use Ehrenfest’s theorem to calculate the expectation value of p at time t.

ˆ ∞ 
x|Ψ(x, t)|2 dx
dhxi d  −∞
ˆ

hpi = mhvi = m =m  ∞

dt dt  2

|Ψ(x, t)| dx
−∞
ˆ ∞ 
2
x|Ψ(x, t)| dx
d  −∞ 
=m  
dt  1 

ˆ
d ∞
=m x|Ψ(x, t)|2 dx
dt −∞
ˆ
d ∞
=m xΨ(x, t)Ψ∗ (x, t) dx
dt −∞
ˆ ∞
∂
=m [xΨ(x, t)Ψ∗ (x, t)] dx
−∞ ∂t
ˆ ∞ 
∂Ψ∗

∂Ψ ∗
=m x Ψ +Ψ dx
−∞ ∂t ∂t
ˆ ∞ 
i~ ∂ 2 Ψ i~ ∂ 2 Ψ∗
  
i ∗ i ∗
=m x − V Ψ Ψ + Ψ − + V Ψ dx
−∞ 2m ∂x2 ~ 2m ∂x2 ~
ˆ ∞ 
i~ ∗ ∂ 2 Ψ i~ ∂ 2 Ψ∗

i ∗ i ∗
=m x Ψ − V Ψ Ψ − Ψ+ V Ψ Ψ dx
−∞ 2m ∂x2  ~ 2m ∂x2 ~

ˆ
i~ ∞ 2 ∂ 2 Ψ∗
 
∗∂ Ψ
= x Ψ − Ψ dx
2 −∞ ∂x2 ∂x2
ˆ
i~ ∞
 ∗   2 ∗
2 ∂Ψ∗ ∂Ψ

∂Ψ ∂Ψ ∗∂ Ψ ∂ Ψ
= x +Ψ − Ψ+ dx
2 −∞ ∂x ∂x ∂x2 ∂x2 ∂x ∂x
ˆ
i~ ∞ ∂ ∂Ψ∗
    
∂ ∂Ψ
= x Ψ∗ − Ψ dx
2 −∞ ∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x
ˆ ∞  ∗

i~ ∂ ∗ ∂Ψ ∂Ψ
= x Ψ − Ψ dx
2 −∞ ∂x ∂x ∂x
∞ ˆ ∞
∂Ψ∗ ∂Ψ∗
    
i~ ∗ ∂Ψ
 ∂ ∗ ∂Ψ
= x Ψ − Ψ   − (x) Ψ − Ψ dx
2 ∂x ∂x −∞ −∞ |∂x{z } ∂x ∂x
| {z } =1
=0
ˆ ∞
∂Ψ ∂Ψ∗

i~
=− Ψ∗ − Ψ dx
2 −∞ ∂x ∂x
ˆ ∞ ˆ ∞
∂Ψ∗

i~ ∗ ∂Ψ
=− Ψ dx − Ψ dx
2 −∞ ∂x −∞ ∂x
ˆ ∞  ∞ ˆ ∞ 
i~ ∗ ∂Ψ ∗ 
 ∗ ∂Ψ
=− Ψ dx − Ψ Ψ − Ψ dx
2 −∞ ∂x −∞ −∞ ∂x
| {z }
=0
ˆ ∞
∂Ψ
= −i~ Ψ∗ dx
−∞ ∂x
ˆ ∞  
∗ ∂
= Ψ −i~ Ψ dx
−∞ ∂x

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.16 Page 4 of 4

Now that the differentiation with respect to t is done, plug in t = 0 to find the expectation value
of p at t = 0.
ˆ ∞
∂Ψ
hpi = −i~ Ψ∗ (x, 0) (x, 0) dx
−∞ ∂x
ˆ a" r #∗ " r #
1 15 2 ∂ 1 15
= −i~ (a − x2 ) (a2 − x2 ) dx
−a 4 a5 ∂x 4 a5
ˆ a" r #" r #
1 15 2 1 15
= −i~ (a − x2 ) (−2x) dx
−a 4 a5 4 a5
ˆ
15i~ a
= x(a2 − x2 ) dx
8a5 −a
=0
This last integral is zero because the integrand is an odd function and the integration interval is
symmetric. Now calculate the expectation value of p2 at t = 0.
ˆ ∞
∂ 2
 
2 ∗
hp i = Ψ (x, 0) −i~ Ψ(x, 0) dx
−∞ ∂x
ˆ ∞  2

∗ 2 ∂
= Ψ (x, 0) −~ Ψ(x, 0) dx
−∞ ∂x2
ˆ ∞
∂2Ψ
= −~ 2
Ψ∗ (x, 0) 2 (x, 0) dx
−∞ ∂x
ˆ a" r #∗ " r #
2 1 15 2 2 ∂ 2 1 15 2 2
= −~ (a − x ) (a − x ) dx
−a 4 a5 ∂x2 4 a5
ˆ a" r #" r #
1 15 1 15
= −~2 (a2 − x2 ) (−2) dx
−a 4 a5 4 a5
ˆ
15~2 a 2
= (a − x2 ) dx
8a5 −a
ˆ
15~2 a 2
= (a − x2 ) dx
4a5 0
15~2 a3
 
3
= a −
4a5 3
5~ 2
= 2
2a
Then the uncertainty in p at t = 0 is
r r
p 5~2 ~ 5
σp = hp2 i − hpi2 = 2
= .
2a a 2
The product of σx and σp at t = 0 is
  r ! r
a ~ 5 5
σx σp = √ =~ ≈ 0.598~,
7 a 2 14

which is consistent with Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle (σx σp ≥ ~/2 = 0.5~).

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