SPHA031 Tutorial/Assignment No 2 Solutions

2.1 The time-independent Schrödinger equation is obtained from the full Schrödinger equation
by:

(a) separation of x , y and z variables

(b) separation of radial and azimuthal variables

(c) separation of spacial and time variables

(d) separation of spacial and momentum variables

ℏ2
2.2 A particle of mass m has the expectation values 〈𝑥𝑥〉 = 0 and 〈𝑥𝑥 2 〉 = 4𝑚𝑚2 𝑎𝑎2 . The uncertainty
∆𝑥𝑥 is:

(a) 0
ℏ
(b) 2𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

ℏ
(c) �2𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

ℏ
(d) �4𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

2.3 Consider a particle whose normalized wavefunction is:

−𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥 > 0
𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = 2𝑎𝑎 √𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥𝑒𝑒
0 𝑥𝑥 < 0

For what value of 𝑥𝑥 does 𝜌𝜌(𝑥𝑥) = |𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥)|2 peak?

(a) 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑎𝑎

(b) 𝑥𝑥 = −𝑎𝑎

(c) 𝑥𝑥 = 1�𝑎𝑎

(d) 𝑥𝑥 = − 1�𝑎𝑎
 2
𝜌𝜌(𝑥𝑥 ) = |𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥)|2 = �2𝑎𝑎 √𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥𝑒𝑒 −𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 � = 4𝑎𝑎3 𝑥𝑥 2 𝑒𝑒 −2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 ≈ 𝑥𝑥 2 𝑒𝑒 −2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
At the peak:
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
= 2𝑥𝑥𝑒𝑒 −2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑥𝑥 2 (−2𝑎𝑎 )𝑒𝑒 −2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 0

⟹ 2𝑥𝑥𝑒𝑒 −2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 2𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 2 𝑒𝑒 −2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎

⟹ 𝑥𝑥 = 1�𝑎𝑎
2.4 If the particle represented by the wavefunction 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = 2𝑎𝑎√𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥𝑒𝑒 −𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 is trapped in box: [0 <
𝑥𝑥 < 𝑎𝑎], the expectation value 〈𝑥𝑥〉 = ∫ 𝑥𝑥 |𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥)|2 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 is:

(a) 1�𝑎𝑎

(b) 1�2𝑎𝑎

(c) 2�2𝑎𝑎

(d) 3�2𝑎𝑎

𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎

〈𝑥𝑥 〉 = � 𝑥𝑥 |𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥)|2 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = � 𝑥𝑥 4𝑎𝑎3 𝑥𝑥 2 𝑒𝑒 −2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 4𝑎𝑎3 � 𝑥𝑥 3 𝑒𝑒 −2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

0 0

3! 24𝑎𝑎3 3
⟹ 〈𝑥𝑥 〉 = 4𝑎𝑎3 = 16𝑎𝑎4 = 2𝑎𝑎
(2𝑎𝑎)3+1

2.5 The kinetic energy operator in 3-D is:

ℏ2
(a) 𝑇𝑇� = − 2𝑚𝑚 ∇2

ℏ 2
(b) 𝑇𝑇� = 2𝑚𝑚 ∇2

ℏ
(c) 𝑇𝑇� = − 2𝑚𝑚 ∇
�⃗

ℏ
(d) 𝑇𝑇� = 2𝑚𝑚 �∇⃗

2.6 For a given particle 〈𝑝𝑝2 〉 = 𝛼𝛼 2 ℏ2 and 〈𝑝𝑝〉 = 0. The uncertainty in momentum for this
particle is:
(a) 𝛼𝛼 2 ℏ2

(b) 𝛼𝛼ℏ

(c) 2𝛼𝛼ℏ

(d) −𝛼𝛼ℏ

2.7 The walls of a box for a particle in a box scenario are:

(a) very small but infinitely hard

(b) infinitely large but very soft

(c) very soft and very small

(d) infinitely hard and infinitely large

2.8 For the wavefunctions 𝜑𝜑 and 𝜙𝜙 and the operator 𝐴𝐴̂ the bra-ket notation of the integral
∫ 𝜑𝜑 ∗ 𝐴𝐴̂𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙𝜙 ≡:

(a) ⟨𝜑𝜑|𝜙𝜙⟩

(b) �𝜑𝜑 ∗ �𝐴𝐴̂�𝜙𝜙�

(c) �𝜑𝜑�𝐴𝐴̂�𝜙𝜙�

(d) �𝐴𝐴̂𝜑𝜑�𝜙𝜙�

2.9 If 𝛿𝛿(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥 ′ ) is the Dirac delta function then 𝛿𝛿(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥 ′ ) = 0 when:

(a) 𝑥𝑥 < 𝑥𝑥′

(b) 𝑥𝑥 > 𝑥𝑥′

(c) 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑥𝑥′

(d) 𝑥𝑥 ≠ 𝑥𝑥′

2.10 If 𝛿𝛿(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥 ′ ) is the Dirac delta function then 𝛿𝛿(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥 ′ ) = ∞ when:

(a) 𝑥𝑥 < 𝑥𝑥′

(b) 𝑥𝑥 > 𝑥𝑥′

(c) 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑥𝑥′
(d) 𝑥𝑥 ≠ 𝑥𝑥′

2.11 The wavefunction of a particle in a box is given by:

2 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛
(a) 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = �𝑎𝑎 sin 𝑎𝑎

2 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛
(b) 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = �𝑎𝑎 sin 𝑎𝑎

2 𝑥𝑥
(c) 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = �𝑎𝑎 sin 𝑎𝑎

2 𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋
(d) 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = �𝑎𝑎 sin 𝑎𝑎

2.12 Which of the following is the correct expression for the steady-state Schrödinger wave
equation?

ℏ2
(a) 𝐸𝐸Ψ(𝑟𝑟, 𝑡𝑡) = �𝑖𝑖 2 2𝑚𝑚 ∇2 + 𝑉𝑉� Ψ(𝑟𝑟, 𝑡𝑡)

ℏ2
(b) 𝐸𝐸Ψ(𝑟𝑟, 𝑡𝑡) = �𝑖𝑖 2𝑚𝑚 ∇2 + 𝑉𝑉� Ψ(𝑟𝑟, 𝑡𝑡)

ℏ
(c) 𝐸𝐸Ψ(𝑟𝑟, 𝑡𝑡) = �𝑖𝑖 2 2𝑚𝑚 ∇2 + 𝑉𝑉� Ψ(𝑟𝑟, 𝑡𝑡)

ℏ
(d) 𝐸𝐸Ψ(𝑟𝑟, 𝑡𝑡) = �𝑖𝑖 2𝑚𝑚 ∇2 + 𝑉𝑉� Ψ(𝑟𝑟, 𝑡𝑡)

1 𝑝𝑝0
2.13 The normalized square wave packet is defined by 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖 ℏ 𝑥𝑥 in the region
√𝑎𝑎
𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎
�− 2 < 𝑥𝑥 < 2�. The expectation value of the momentum component 〈𝑝𝑝𝑥𝑥 〉 is:

(a) 𝑝𝑝0
𝑝𝑝0
(b) ℏ

(c) 𝑝𝑝0 ℏ
𝑝𝑝0
(d) 𝑎𝑎

Solution:
 𝑎𝑎/2
𝑑𝑑
〈𝑝𝑝〉 = � 𝜓𝜓 ∗ (𝑥𝑥) − 𝑖𝑖ℏ 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥)𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
−𝑎𝑎/2

𝑎𝑎/2
1 𝑝𝑝0 𝑑𝑑 1 𝑖𝑖𝑝𝑝0 𝑥𝑥
= � 𝑒𝑒−𝑖𝑖 ℏ 𝑥𝑥 �−𝑖𝑖ℏ � 𝑒𝑒 ℏ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
√𝑎𝑎 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 √𝑎𝑎
−𝑎𝑎/2

𝑎𝑎/2
𝑖𝑖ℏ 𝑝𝑝0 𝑝𝑝0 𝑝𝑝0
=− � 𝑒𝑒−𝑖𝑖 ℏ 𝑥𝑥 𝑖𝑖 𝑒𝑒𝑖𝑖 ℏ 𝑥𝑥 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑎𝑎 ℏ
−𝑎𝑎/2

𝑎𝑎/2
𝑝𝑝0
= � 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑎𝑎
−𝑎𝑎/2

= 𝑝𝑝0
2.14 In a Compton effect experiment, a photon scattered from an electron at rest increases its
wavelength. Which of the following deflection angles 𝜃𝜃 provides the greatest increase in the
wavelength of the scattered photon?

(a) 0°

(b) 60°

(c) 90°

(d) 180°

2.15 If all of the following particles move at the same speed, which one will have the greatest
de Broglie wavelength?

(a) neutron

(b) proton

(c) electron

(d) α-particle
2.16 When an electron de-excites from an orbit of the first excited state (n = 2) to the ground
state (n = 1):

(a) an electron is emitted

(b) a photon is emitted

(c) an electron is absorbed

(d) a photon is absorbed

2.17 The modulus square of a quantum particle’s wavefunction describes the probability:

(a) that the particle will decay

(b) that the particle has a specific spin

(c) that the particle is at a particular position

(d) that the particle will disappear

2.18 An electron is trapped in an infinite potential well of width 1 cm. For what value of n will
the electron have an energy of 2 eV?

(a) ~1011

(b) ~109

(c) ~107

(d) ~105

𝑛𝑛2 𝜋𝜋 2 ℏ2
𝐸𝐸 =
2𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑎2
2
2𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑎2 𝐸𝐸 8𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑎2 𝐸𝐸 8(511 × 103 eV)(1 × 10−4 m2 )(2eV)
𝑛𝑛 = 2 2 = =
𝜋𝜋 ℏ ℎ2 (1240eVnm)2
817.6
= −12
= 5.31 × 1014
1.54 × 10
⟹ 𝑛𝑛 = 2.3 × 107 .
2.19 The inverse Fourier transform of the position probability amplitude 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡) is:

1 +∞ 𝑖𝑖
(a) 𝜓𝜓(𝑝𝑝, 𝑡𝑡) = ∫−∞
𝜓𝜓�(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡)𝑒𝑒 ℏ𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
√2𝜋𝜋ℏ
 1 +∞ 𝑖𝑖
(b) 𝜓𝜓(𝑘𝑘, 𝑡𝑡) = ∫ 𝜓𝜓�(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡)𝑒𝑒 −ℏ𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
√2𝜋𝜋ℏ −∞

1 +∞ 𝑖𝑖
(c) 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡) = ∫−∞
𝜓𝜓�(𝑘𝑘, 𝑡𝑡)𝑒𝑒 ℏ𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
√2𝜋𝜋ℏ

1 +∞ 𝑖𝑖
(d) 𝜓𝜓(𝑝𝑝, 𝑡𝑡) = ∫ 𝜓𝜓�(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡)𝑒𝑒 −ℏ𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
√2𝜋𝜋ℏ −∞

2.20 When a particle hits a potential barrier or a step, under what conditions will it be
classically reflected?

(a) If and only if the value of the potential is smaller than the energy of the particle

(b) If and only if the value of the potential is greater than the energy of the particle

(c) If the value of the potential barrier is positive, and the particle charge is negative

(d) If the value of the potential barrier is positive, and the particle charge is positive

2.21 A particle will tunnel through a potential barrier:

(a) If and only if the energy of the particle is greater than the potential barrier

(b) If and only if the energy of the particle is less than the potential barrier

(c) If and only if the energy of the particle is equal to the potential barrier

(d) All the three scenarios are valid