Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 3.

49 Page 1 of 6

Problem 3.49
(a) Write down the time-dependent “Schrödinger equation” in momentum space, for a free
2


particle, and solve it. Answer: exp −ip t/2mℏ Φ(p, 0).

(b) Find Φ(p, 0) for the traveling gaussian wave packet (Problem 2.42), and construct Φ(p, t) for
this case. Also construct |Φ(p, t)|2 , and note that it is independent of time.

(c) Calculate ⟨p⟩ and ⟨p2 ⟩ by evaluating the appropriate integrals involving Φ, and compare
your answers to Problem 2.42.

(d) Show that ⟨H⟩ = ⟨p⟩2 /2m + ⟨H⟩0 (where the subscript 0 denotes the stationary gaussian),
and comment on this result.

Solution

Part (a)

The governing equation for the position-space wave function of a particle with mass m is
Schrödinger’s equation.

∂Ψ ℏ2 ∂ 2 Ψ
iℏ =− + V (x, t)Ψ(x, t), −∞ < x < ∞, t > 0
∂t 2m ∂x2
For a free particle in particular, the potential energy function V (x, t) is zero.

∂Ψ ℏ2 ∂ 2 Ψ
iℏ =− (1)
∂t 2m ∂x2
Because this is a linear PDE over the whole line (−∞ < x < ∞), the Fourier transform can be
applied to solve it. The Fourier transform of Ψ(x, t) is defined here by
 ∞
1
Φ(p, t) = F {Ψ(x, t)} = √ e−ipx/ℏ Ψ(x, t) dx
2πℏ −∞

in order to obtain the momentum-space wave function Φ(p, t). The temporal derivative
transforms as follows.
  ∞
∂Ψ 1 ∂Ψ
F =√ e−ipx/ℏ dx
∂t 2πℏ −∞ ∂t
∞
1 ∂ h −ipx/ℏ i
= √ e Ψ(x, t) dx
2πℏ −∞ ∂t

1 d ∞ −ipx/ℏ
=√ e Ψ(x, t) dx
2πℏ dt −∞
 ∞ 
d 1
= √ e−ipx/ℏ Ψ(x, t) dx
dt 2πℏ −∞
dΦ
=
dt

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 3.49 Page 2 of 6

The spatial derivative transforms as follows.

 2  ∞ 2
∂ Ψ 1 −ipx/ℏ ∂ Ψ
F = √ e dx
∂x2 2πℏ −∞ ∂x2
 ∞ ∞ 
1 −ipx/ℏ ∂Ψ 
 ∂  −ipx/ℏ  ∂Ψ
=√ e − e dx
2πℏ ∂x −∞ −∞ ∂x ∂x
| {z }
=0
  ∞  
1 ip −ipx/ℏ ∂Ψ
=√ − − e dx
2πℏ −∞ ℏ ∂x
 ∞
ip 1 ∂Ψ
= √ e−ipx/ℏ
dx
ℏ 2πℏ −∞ ∂x
 ∞ ∞ 
ip 1 −ipx/ℏ
 ∂ 
−ipx/ℏ

= √ e Ψ(x, t) − e Ψ(x, t) dx
ℏ 2πℏ −∞ −∞ ∂x
| {z }
=0
  ∞  
ip 1 ip −ipx/ℏ
= √ − − e Ψ(x, t) dx
ℏ 2πℏ −∞ ℏ
∞
i2 p2
 
1
= 2 √ e−ipx/ℏ Ψ(x, t) dx
ℏ 2πℏ −∞

p2
=− Φ(p, t)
ℏ2
Take the Fourier transform of both sides of equation (1).
ℏ2 ∂ 2 Ψ
   
∂Ψ
F iℏ =F −
∂t 2m ∂x2
Use the fact that the Fourier transform is linear.
ℏ2
   2 
∂Ψ ∂ Ψ
iℏF =− F
∂t 2m ∂x2
Transform the derivatives.
ℏ2
   2 
dΦ p
iℏ =− − 2 Φ(p, t)
dt 2m ℏ
dΦ p2
iℏ = Φ(p, t)
dt 2m
dΦ ip2
=− Φ(p, t)
dt 2mℏ
Solve this ODE by separating variables.
dΦ ip2
=− dt
Φ 2mℏ
Integrate both sides.
ip2
ln Φ = − t + C(p)
2mℏ

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 3.49 Page 3 of 6

Exponentiate both sides.

ip2
 
ln Φ
e = exp − t + C(p)
2mℏ
ip2
 
C(p)
Φ(p, t) = e exp − t
2mℏ

Set t = 0 to determine eC(p) .

Φ(p, 0) = eC(p)
Therefore, the momentum-space wave function for a free particle is

ip2
 
Φ(p, t) = Φ(p, 0) exp − t .
2mℏ

Part (b)

For a travelling gaussian wave packet, the initial position-space wave function is
2
Ψ(x, 0) = Ae−ax e−ilx . Normalize it to determine A.
 ∞
1= |Ψ(x, 0)|2 dx
−∞
∞
2 2
= (Ae−ax eilx )(Ae−ax e−ilx ) dx
−∞
∞
2
= A2 e−2ax dx
−∞

 
∞
x2
= 2A2 exp −  2  dx
 
0 √1
2a
√1
!
√ 2a
= 2A2 · π
2
r
π
= A2
2a
Solve for A.  1/4
2a
A=
π
As a result,
 1/4
2a 2
Ψ(x, 0) = e−ax eilx ,
π

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 3.49 Page 4 of 6

and the momentum-space wave function becomes

ip2
 
Φ(p, t) = exp − t Φ(p, 0)
2mℏ
ip2
 
= exp − t F {Ψ(x, 0)}
2mℏ
∞
ip2
 
1
= exp − t √ e−ipx/ℏ Ψ(x, 0) dx
2mℏ 2πℏ −∞
∞  1/4
ip2
 
1 −ipx/ℏ 2a 2
= exp − t √ e e−ax eilx dx
2mℏ 2πℏ −∞ π
 ∞
ip2
 a 1/4  h  p  i
2
= exp − t exp −ax + i − + l x dx
2π 3 ℏ2 2mℏ −∞ ℏ
 ∞
ip2
   
 a 1/4
2 ℏl − p
= exp − t exp −a x + i x dx
2π 3 ℏ2 2mℏ −∞ ℏa
 ∞
ip2 2 2
     
 a 1/4
2 ℏl − p 2 (ℏl − p) 2 (ℏl − p)
= exp − t exp −a x + i x+i exp ai dx
2π 3 ℏ2 2mℏ −∞ ℏa 4ℏ2 a2 4ℏ2 a2
 ∞ "   #
ip2 (ℏl − p)2 ℏl − p 2
 a 1/4   
= exp − t exp − exp −a x + i dx.
2π 3 ℏ2 2mℏ 4ℏ2 a −∞ 2ℏa

Make the following substitution.

ℏl − p
u=x+i
2ℏa
du = dx

Consequently,
 ∞
ip2 (ℏl − p)2
  
 a 1/4 2
Φ(p, t) = exp − t exp − e−au du
2π 3 ℏ2 2mℏ 4ℏ2 a −∞

ip2 (ℏl − p)2

 a 1/4     r
π
= 3 2
exp − t exp − 2
2π ℏ 2mℏ 4ℏ a a
1/4
ip2 (p − ℏl)2
    
1
= exp − t exp − ,
2πℏ2 a 2mℏ 4ℏ2 a
and the probability distribution for the particle’s momentum is

|Φ(p, t)|2 = Φ∗ (p, t)Φ(p, t)

( 1/4  2  ) ( 1/4 )
(p − ℏl)2 ip2 (p − ℏl)2
   
1 ip 1
= exp t exp − exp − t exp −
2πℏ2 a 2mℏ 4ℏ2 a 2πℏ2 a 2mℏ 4ℏ2 a
r
(p − ℏl)2
 
1
= exp − .
2πℏ2 a 2ℏ2 a

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 3.49 Page 5 of 6

Part (c)

Now calculate the expectation value of p at time t.

 ∞  ∞
∗
⟨p⟩ = ⟨Φ | p̂ | Φ⟩ = Φ (p, t)pΦ(p, t) dp = p|Φ(p, t)|2 dp
−∞ −∞
r  ∞
(p − ℏl)2
 
1
= p exp − dp
2πℏ2 a −∞ 2ℏ2 a
Make the substitution,

v = p − ℏl → p = v + ℏl

dv = dp.

Then
r ∞
v2
 
1
⟨p⟩ = (v + ℏl) exp − 2 dv
2πℏ2 a −∞ 2ℏ a
 ∞ ∞
v2 v2
    
1
=√ v exp − 2 dv + ℏl exp − 2 dv
2πℏ2 a −∞ 2ℏ a −∞ 2ℏ a
| {z }
=0

1 h √ √ i
=√ ℏl π· 2ℏ2 a
2πℏ2 a
= ℏl,

which is the same result obtained in Problem 2.42. Now calculate the expectation value of p2 at
time t.
 ∞
2 2
⟨p ⟩ = ⟨Φ | p̂ | Φ⟩ = Φ∗ (p, t)p2 Φ(p, t) dp
−∞
 ∞
= p2 |Φ(p, t)|2 dp
−∞
r  ∞
(p − ℏl)2
 
1 2
= p exp − dp
2πℏ2 a−∞ 2ℏ2 a
∞
v2
 
1
= √ (v + ℏl)2 exp − 2 dv
2πℏ2 a −∞ 2ℏ a
∞
v2
 
1 2 2 2
= √ (v + 2ℏlv + ℏ l ) exp − 2 dv
2πℏ2 a −∞ 2ℏ a
 ∞ ∞
v2 v2
   
1 2
= √ v exp − 2 dv + 2ℏl v exp − 2 dv
2πℏ2 a −∞ 2ℏ a −∞ 2ℏ a
| {z }
=0
 ∞
v2
  
2 2
+ℏ l exp − 2 dv
−∞ 2ℏ a

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 3.49 Page 6 of 6

Evaluate the integrals and simplify the answer.

√ (2ℏ2 a)3/2 √
2 2 √
 
2 1 
2
⟨p ⟩ = √ π· +ℏ l π · 2ℏ a
2πℏ2 a 2
2ℏ2 a
= + ℏ2 l2
2
= ℏ2 a + ℏ2 l2

= ℏ2 (a + l2 )

This is the same result obtained in Problem 2.42.

Part (d)

Finally, calculate the expectation value of energy.

 2 
p
⟨H⟩ = +V
2m
 2 
p
= +0
2m
1 2
= ⟨p ⟩
2m
1 2
= (ℏ a + ℏ2 l2 )
2m
(ℏl)2 aℏ2
= +
2m 2m
⟨p⟩2 ⟨p2 ⟩0
= +
2m 2m
⟨p⟩2
= + ⟨H⟩0
2m | {z }
energy of
|{z}
energy due stationary
to motion wave packet

The stationary gaussian wave packet (with l = 0) was analyzed in Problem 2.21, and there it was
found that ⟨p2 ⟩0 = aℏ2 .

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