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It is required to understand postulate 6 and 11.5 The informtion of a wavefunction Lecture on-line The Time Dependent Schrdinger Equation (PDF) The time Dependent Schroedinger Equation (HTML) The time dependent Schrdinger Equation (PowerPoint) Tutorials on-line The postulates of quantum mechanics (This is the writeup for Dry-lab-II ( This lecture coveres parts of postulate 6) Time Dependent Schrdinger Equation The Development of Classical Mechanics Experimental Background for Quantum mecahnics Early Development of Quantum mechanics Audio-visuals on-line review of the Schrdinger equation and the Born postulate (PDF) review of the Schrdinger equation and the Born postulate (HTML) review of Schrdinger equation and Born postulate (PowerPoint **, 1MB) Slides from the text book (From the CD included in Atkins ,**)
X
O
V V(X,t1) V(X,t2)
All properties of such a particle is in quantum mechanics determined by the wavefunction (x, t) of the system
A system that changes with time is described by the time dependent Schrdinger equation
h ( x, t ) = H( x, t ) i t
Where H is the Hamiltonian of the system : h2 2 H = + V( x , t ) 2 2m x for 1D - particle
according to postulate 6
h ( x, t ) h ( x , t ) = + V( x , t ) ( x , t ) 2m x 2 i t
2 2
The time dependent Schrdinger equation
dx o
It is important to note that the particle is not distributed over a large region as a charge cloud
(x, t)(x, t)
It is the probability patterns (wave function) used to describe the electron motion that behaves like waves and satisfies a wave equation
Consider a large number N of identical boxes with identical particles all described by the same wavefunction ( x , t ) :
Let dn x denote the number of particle which at the same time is found between x and x + x
h ( x , t ) h ( x , t ) = + V ( x , t ) ( x , t ) 2 i 2 m x t
2 2
V
Can be simplified in those cases where the potential V only depends on the position : V(t, x) - > V(x)
V(X)
( x , t ) = f ( t ) ( x )
We have
h ( x , t ) h ( x , t ) = + V ( x , t ) ( x , t ) 2 i 2 m x t
2 2
h 1 f(t) h 1 ( x) = + V( x ) 2 i f (t ) t 2m ( x) x
2 2
The R.H.S. does not depend on t if we now assume that V is time independent. Thus, the L.H.S. must also be independent of t
1 ( x) h + V( x ) = E = cons tan t 2 2m ( x) x
2 2
f(t) i = Et f (t ) h
Now integrating from time t=0 to t=to on both sides affords:
to
f(t) i = Et o f (t ) o h
to
to
f(t) i = Et o f (t ) o h
to
Cons tan t
i ln[ f ( to )] = Eto + C h
Or:
i ln[ f ( to )] = Eto + C h
-i i
t =0
t = (h/ E) t = (h/ E) 2
t =3 ( h /E ) t = 2(h/ E) 2
1 ( x) h + V( x ) = E 2 2m ( x) x
2 2
Or :
h ( x) + ( x)V( x ) = E ( x) 2 2m x
2 2
h ( x) + ( x)V( x ) = E ( x) 2 2m x
2 2
This is the time-independent Schroedinger Equation for a particle moving in the time independent potential V(x)
It is a postulate of Quantum Mechanics that E is the total energy of the system Part of QM postulate 6
If (x) is a solution to
h ( x) + ( x)V( x ) = E ( x) 2 2m x
2 2
So is A (x)
Lecture 2
h 2 2 (A ( x)) + A ( x)V( x ) = AE ( x) 2 2m x
h 2 2 (A ( x)) + A ( x)V( x ) = AE ( x) 2 2m x
or :
h 2 2 '( x) + '( x)V( x ) = E'( x) 2 2m x
Thus we can write without loss of generality for a particle in a time-independent potential
E ( x , t ) = Exp[ i t ] ( x ) h
This wavefunction is time dependent and complex. Let us now look at the corresponding probability density
( x , t ) ( x , t )
*
We have :
E ( x , t ) ( x , t ) = Exp[ i t ] ( x ) h E * * Exp[i t ] ( x ) = ( x ) ( x ) h
*
Thus , states describing systems with a time-independent potential V(x) have a time-independent (stationary) probability density.
E ( x , t ) ( x , t ) = Exp[ i t ] ( x ) h E * * Exp[i t ] ( x ) = ( x ) ( x ) h
*
This does not imply that the particle is stationary. However, it means that the probability of finding a particle in the interval x + -1/2 x to x + 1/2 x is constant.
( x ) ( x )dx
*
Independent of time
We say that systems that can be described by wave functions of the type
E ( x , t ) = Exp[ i t ] ( x ) h
Represent Stationary states
h ( x, t ) = H( x, t ) i t
where H is the Hamiltonian (i.e. energy) operator for the quantum mechanical system
1. You should know postulate 6 and the form of the time dependent Schrdinger equation
h ( x, t ) = H( x, t ) i t
2. You should know that the wavefunction for systems where the potential energy is independent of time [V(x, t) V(x)] is given by E ( x, t ) = Exp[ i t] ( x ) h Where ( x ) is a solution to the time - independent Schrdinger equation : H ( x ) = E ( x ), and E is the energy of the system.
3. Systems with a time independent potential energy [V(x, t) V(x) ] have a time - independent probability density : * ( x , t ) = Exp[ i E t ] ( x )Exp[i E t ] * ( x ) ( x , t ) h h = ( x ) * ( x ). They are called stationary states