Particle in a 1-Dimensional Box

Time Dependent Schrödinger Equation

2 d 2
V ( x) E
2m dx 2
Region I Region II Region III
KE PE TE

Wave function is dependent on time and position function:

V(x)=∞ V(x)=0 V(x)=∞ 1
( x, t ) f (t ) ( x)

Time Independent Schrödinger Equation

0 L x
V(x)=0 for L>x>0  2 d 2 ( x)
V ( x) E
V(x)=∞ for x≥L, x≤0 2m dx 2

Classical Physics: The particle can Applying boundary conditions:

exist anywhere in the box and follow Region I and III:
a path in accordance to Newton’s  2 d 2 ( x) 2
Laws. * E 0
2m dx 2
Quantum Physics: The particle is Region II:
expressed by a wave function and  2 d 2 ( x)
there are certain areas more likely to E
contain the particle within the box. 2m dx 2
 Finding the Wave Function
Our new wave function:
 2 d 2 ( x) d 2 ( x) 2m
E E n x
2m dx 2 dx 2 2 II A sin But what is ‘A’?
L
This is similar to the general differential equation: Normalizing wave function:
L
d 2 ( x)
k2 A sin kx B cos kx ( A sin kx) 2 dx 1
dx 2 0
So we can start applying boundary conditions: L
x=0 ψ=0 2 x sin 2kx
0 A sin 0k B cos 0k 0 0 B *1 B 0 A 1
2 4k 0
x=L ψ=0 n
where n= *
0 Asin kL A 0 kL n sin 2 L
2 L L
A 1
Calculating Energy Levels: 2 n
4
L
2 2mE k 2 2 k 2h2 Since n= *
k E E
2 2m 2m4 2 2 L 2
h A 1 A
 2 L
2
Our normalized wave function is:
n2 2 h2 n2h2
E E 2 n x
L2 2m4 2
8mL2 sin
II
L L