Chapter #15 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. Show that the relativistic relation between energy and momentum (Equation 15.2) reduces to...for the case when v ≪ c. Get solution

2. If ϕ is an eigenfunction of both energy and momentum, then another differential equation corresponding to Equation (15.2) is...Why is this a less desirable equation than the Klein–Gordon equation? Get solution

3. (a) If J is the Schrödinger probability current, show that...(b) What are the units of J? Get solution

4. Using the Klein–Gordon equation, the continuity equation, and the expression for J from Equation (15.10), derive the Klein–Gordon probability density:... Get solution

5. Write out explicitly the full 4 × 4 matrices corresponding to α1 and α2. Get solution

6. Multiply out the matrices in the Dirac equation to express the Dirac equation as four coupled differential equations for the four components of ψ: ψ1, ψ2, ψ3 and ψ4. Get solution

7. Write down the Dirac spinor corresponding to a spin-1/2 particle at rest with spin in the +x direction and positive energy. Get solution

8. (a) The general solution for the Dirac equation can be written in the form...where ϕ1, ϕ2, χ1, and χ2 are numbers independent of r and t. To take advantage of this form for the Dirac equation, use the shorthand...and...Using this form for the solution, show that ϕ and χ satisfy the coupled equations...and...(b) Use the results from part (a) to show that the general four-component solution of the Dirac equation may be written as... Get solution

Chapter #14 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. Oxygen is the second most abundant element in the human body (by number) and the most abundant by mass. However, MRI detection of oxygen atoms is not practical. Why? Get solution

2. Electrons in hydrogen have a much larger magnetic moment (both orbital and spin) than the magnetic moment of the proton. Why then are MRI machines not tuned, for example, to the resonant frequency of the spin magnetic moment of the electron rather than the proton? Get solution

3. Consider an MRI machine with a 1.5 T static field. How far from the resonant frequency would one have to be in order for the spin-flip probability to decrease from its maximum value to each of the following?(a) one-half of the maximum value(b) zero Get solution

4. The random thermal energy of each molecule in the human body is roughly E ≈ kT, where k is Boltzmann’s constant (k = 1.38 × 10−23 J K−1) and T is the temperature. Compare this thermal energy to the potential energy experienced by a proton in a 1.5 T MRI machine. What does the answer say about the efficiency with which protons will align into lower energy states in such a magnetic field? Get solution

5. (a) Verify that the matrix corresponding to UNOT produces the correct output when applied to the | ↓ 〉 and | ↑〉 states.(b) Compute the matrix corresponding to ..., and calculate the result when it is applied to | ↓ 〉 and | ↑〉. What logical operation does ... correspond to? Get solution

6. (a) Show explicitly that the classical XOR gate cannot be inverted.(b) Calculate the matrix corresponding to the inverse of the quantum XOR gate Get solution

7. Show that .... Get solution

8. Apply UXOR to the mixed state (...) (| ↓ ↓〉 + | ↑ ↑〉) Explain what the result means. Get solution

Chapter #13 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. Consider the two-particle Hamiltonian given by...Show that the exchange operator ℰ12 commutes with H as long as the two-particle potential has the property that V(r1, r2) = V(r2, r1). Get solution

2. Two identical spin-1/2 particles with mass m are in a one-dimensional infinite square-well potential with width a, so V(x) = 0 for 0 ≤ x ≤ a, and there are infinite potential barriers at x = 0 and x = a. The particles do not interact with each other; they see only the infinite square-well potential.(a) Calculate the energies of the three lowest-energy singlet states.(b) Calculate the energies of the three lowest-energy triplet states.(c) Suppose that the particles are in a state with wave function...where x1 is the position of particle 1 and x2 is the position of particle 2. Are the particles in a triplet spin state or a singlet spin state? Explain. Get solution

3. Two identical spin-0 particles with mass m are confined inside a three-dimensional rectangular box given by 0 ≤ x ≤ a, 0 ≤ y ≤ b, and 0 ≤ z ≤ c, where a ≤ b ≤ c, and the potential barriers at the walls of the box are infinitely high. The particles do not interact with each other; they see only the potential of the box. Write down the normalized wave function ψ(x1, y1, z1, x2, y2, z2) for the ground state, and indicate the energy of the ground state. Get solution

4. (a) Two identical spin-1/2 particles are confined inside of the rectangular box from Exercise 13.3. The particles do not interact with each other; they see only the potential of the box. Write down the normalized spatial part of the lowest-energy singlet wave function. What is the energy of this state?(b) Write down the normalized spatial part of the lowest-energy triplet wave function. What is the energy of this state?(c) What is the total spin s of the ground-state wave function for the system? Get solution

5. Two identical spin-1/2 particles are confined to an infinite one-dimensional square well of width a with infinite potential barriers at x = 0 and x = a. The potential is V(x) = 0 for 0 ≤ x ≤ a. Suppose that the particles interact weakly by the potential V1(x) = Kδ(x1 − x2), where x1 and x2 are the positions of the two particles, K is a constant, and δ is the Dirac delta function. This represents a very short-range weak force between the two particles.(a) Using first-order perturbation theory, find the perturbation to the energy of the lowest-energy singlet state.(b) Show that the first-order perturbation to the energy of the lowest-energy triplet state is zero.(c) What is the physical reason for the answer in part (b)? Get solution

6. Two identical spin-1/2 particles are in the one-dimensional simple harmonic oscillator potential V(x) = (1/2) Kx2. The particles do not interact with each other; they see only the harmonic oscillator potential. The particles are in the lowest-energy triplet state (s = 1).(a) Write down the normalized spatial part of the wave function.(b) Calculate the energy of this state.(c) If the positions of both particles are measured, what is the probability that both particles will be located on the right-hand side of the minimum in the potential (i.e., the probability that both particles have x > 0)? Get solution

7. Show that the n shell in an atom can hold 2n2 electrons. Get solution

8. Sodium has Z = 11. Determine the ground-state electron configuration. Get solution

9. In Exercises 13.9–13.12, express all angular momentum states in the notation 2S+1LJ.Determine the ground-state L, S, and J values for(a) calcium which has the electron configuration...(b) yttrium which has the electron configuration... Get solution

10. In Exercises 13.9–13.12, express all angular momentum states in the notation 2S+1LJ.Consider the excited state of beryllium with the electron configuration...Determine all possible L, S, and J values. Note that the Pauli exclusion principle for the two n = 3 electrons can be ignored; why? Get solution

11. In Exercises 13.9–13.12, express all angular momentum states in the notation 2S+1LJ.Zirconium (Z = 40) consists of closed subshells plus 2 electrons in an unfilled d subshell. Derive the set of allowed L, S, and J values, and determine which state has the lowest energy. Get solution

12. In Exercises 13.9–13.12, express all angular momentum states in the notation 2S+1LJ.The electron configuration for nitrogen is...Calculate L, S, and J for the ground state. Get solution

Chapter #12 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. Show that in the Born approximation, the differentia] cross section obtained from the negative of a given potential −V(r) is exactly the same as that obtained from the potential V(r). Get solution

2. An incident particle with mass m, velocity υ, and charge ze scatters off of a charge Ze at the origin. Use the Born approximation to calculate the differential scattering cross section for the screened Coulomb potential...Then let d → ∞, so that V(r) approaches the normal Coulomb potential, and show that dσ/dΩapproaches the Rutherford scattering differential cross section... Get solution

3. (a) A particle with charge +e is incident on an electric dipole consisting of a charge of +e and a charge of −e separated by the vector d (which runs from − e to +e). The energy of the incident particle is sufficiently large to treat the dipole as a small perturbation. Calculate the differential scattering cross section dσ/dΩ as a function of the initial wave vector ki, the scattered wave vector kf, and the standard Rutherford scattering cross section (dσ/dΩ)R, given by...where K = kf −ki and Vc(r) is the Coulomb potential.(b) In the limits kid ≪ 1 and kid ≫ 1, determine whether the dipole differential cross section is larger or smaller than the Rutherford differential cross section. Explain the physical reason for these results. Get solution

4. A particle which is travelling in the +z direction scatters off of a potential consisting of four delta functions at the vertices of a square in the x-y plane at the points (−a, 0, 0), (+a, 0, 0), (0, −a, 0), and (0, +a, 0)....The potential is...where A is a constant. Use the Born approximation to calculate the differential scattering cross section. Express the answer in terms of the magnitude of the incident wave vector k and the scattering angles θ and ϕ. (This is an example where the cross section does depend on ϕ.) Get solution

5. (a) A particle of mass m and energy E scatters off of the central potential V(r) = Ar−2, where A is a constant. Use the Born approximation to calculate the differential cross section dσ/dΩas a function of E and the scattering angle θ.(b) Show that the total cross section σ is infinite. Get solution

6. A particle of mass m is incident on the potential ..., where V0 and r0 are constants with units of energy and length, respectively. The potential is independent of θ and ϕ. The energy of the particle is large, so that the potential can be treated as a small perturbation. Calculate the differential scattering cross section dσ/dΩ. Express the final answer as a function of the scattering angle θ and the energy of the particle E. Get solution

7. (a) A particle with mass m scatters off of the potential...where A is a constant. In other words, this potential forms a square in the x-y plane and is infinitesimally thin in the z direction. Use the Born approximation to calculate the differential scattering cross section. (Assume an arbitrary direction for the incident particle, and express the answer in terms of the momentum transfer vector K = kf − ki.)(b) Show that in the limit where a → ∞ (so that the scattering potential occupies the entire x-y plane), the resulting differential cross section corresponds to only two possible results: either the particle will pass through without any scattering or else it will scatter with the angle of incidence equal to the angle of reflection. Get solution

8. Suppose a particle with mass m scatters off of a finite spherical potential of radius R given by...In the limit where the energy of the incident particle is small, show that the total cross section is...where .... Get solution

Chapter #11 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. The electron in a hydrogen atom is initially in the ground state. At t = 0, a homogeneous electric field aligned in the z direction is turned on. The magnitude of the electric field decreases exponentially:...where ℰ0 and τ are constants. A measurement is made at tf = + ∞; what is the probability that the electron will be in the first excited state? Get solution

2. A system is in an eigenstate |ψi〉 with energy Ei. The perturbation...is turned on at ti = −∞ and left on until tf = + ∞. Here ... is independent of time, and α is a constant. Show that at tf = + ∞, the probability that the system has evolved into the eigenstate |ψf〉 with energy Ef is... Get solution

3. An electron is in a strong, uniform, constant magnetic field with magnitude B0 aligned in the +x direction. The electron is initially in the state | →〉 with x component of spin equal to +ħ/2. A weak, uniform, constant magnetic field of magnitude B1(where B1≪ B0) in the +z direction is turned on at t = 0 and turned off at t = t0. Let P(i → f) be the probability that the electron is in the state | ←〉 with x component of spin equal to −ħ/2 at a later time tf > t0. Show that... Get solution

4. Consider a time-dependent perturbation H1(t) which is adiabatic, i.e., slowly varying. The system is initially in the state |ψi〉 at ti = −∞. The potential is turned on, and we wish to derive the probability that the system will be in the state |ψf〉 t some later time tf. Write down the standard expression for cf in this case and use integration by parts to break the expression into two terms, one of which contains dH1/dt. Since H1 is slowly varying, this term may be taken to be 0. Then use the fact that H1(−∞) = 0 to derive the final expression for the transition probability:... Get solution

5. An electron is in a strong, static, homogeneous magnetic field with magnitude B0 in the z direction. At time t = 0, the spin of the electron is in the +z direction. At t = 0 a weak, homogenous magnetic field with magnitude B1(where B1 ≪ B0) is turned on. At t = 0 this field is pointing in the x direction, but it rotates counterclockwise in the x-z plane with angular frequency ω, so that at any later time t this field is at an angle ωt relative to the x-axis:...Calculate the probability that at a later time tf the electron spin has flipped to the −z direction. Get solution

6. A particle with mass m is in a one-dimensional infinite square-well potential of width a, so V(x) = 0 for 0 ≤ x ≤ a, and there are infinite potential barriers at x = 0 and x = a. Recall that the normalized solutions to the Schrödinger equation are...with energies...where n = 1, 2, 3,…The particle is initially in the ground state. A delta-function potential...(where K is a constant) is turned on at time t = −t1 and turned off at t = t1. A measurement is made at some later time t2, where t2 > t1.(a) What is the probability that the particle will be found to be in the excited state n = 3?(b) There are some excited states n in which the particle will never be found, no matter what values are chosen for t1 and t2. Which excited states are these? Get solution

7. A hydrogen atom is in the ground state. At t = 0 an electric field with magnitude ℰ is turned on. At t = 0 the electric field points in the x direction, and it rotates counterclockwise in the x-y plane with angular frequency ω (i.e., at any later time t the field is oriented at an angle ωt relative to the x-axis). This rotating field causes the atom to undergo a transition to an n = 2 state. Determine which of the l, ml states are possible final states and which are impossible. Get solution

8. (a) Consider an electromagnetic wave polarized in the x direction, incident on a hydrogen atom. Show that in this case, the selection rules for ml are...(b) Repeat this calculation for an electromagnetic wave polarized in the y direction. Get solution

9. A hydrogen atom in the n = 4 state emits electric dipole radiation and drops into the n = 3 state. Determine all possible transitions in terms of their initial and final values for l and j. Express the answer in spectroscopic notation. Get solution

10. (a) The electron in a hydrogen atom is initially in the state n = 5, l = 0, j = 1/2. The atom emits electric dipole radiation and drops into an n = 3 state. Determine all l, j states which are possible final states.(b) An electron in a hydrogen atom is initially in the state n = 5, l = 2, j = 5/2. It emits electric dipole radiation and drops into the state n = 4, l = l1, j = j1. From this state, it emits electric dipole radiation again and drops into the hydrogen ground state. Determine l1 and j1. Get solution

11. An electron is contained in a three-dimensional rectangular box given by 0 ≤ x ≤ a, 0 ≤ y ≤ b, and 0 ≤ z ≤ c. The solutions of the Schrödinger equation are specified by the quantum numbers nx, ny, and nz. Recall that the normalized wave function is...with energy...where nx, ny, and nz are positive integers. The electron is initially in the state nx, ny, nz. An electromagnetic wave is incident polarized in the y direction, so that the electric field vector is given by:...where E0 is a constant vector in the y direction. Use the dipole approximation and time-dependent perturbation theory to derive the selection rules for the electron to absorb the radiation and end up in the final state .... Get solution

Chapter #10 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. Suppose that the trial wave function ∣ψ(α)〉 happens to be exactly equal to the true ground-state wave function ∣ψ0〉 for some value of α. Show that in this case, the estimate of the ground-state energy given by the variational principle will be equal to the true ground-state energy. Get solution

2. Suppose that the trial wave function ∣ψ〉 used in the variational principle is orthogonal to the ground-state wave function of the Hamiltonian: 〈ψ0∣ψ(α)〉 = 0 for all values of α. Show that in this case...where E1 is the energy of the first excited state of H. Get solution

3. (a) In order to use the variational principle to estimate the ground-state energy of the one-dimensional potential V(x) = Kx4, where K is a constant, which of the following wave functions would be a better trial wave function?i. ...ii. ...Explain.(b) In order to use the variational principle to estimate the ground-state energy of the one-dimensional potential V(x) = Kx3 for x > 0 with an infinite potential barrier at x = 0, which of the following wave functions would be a better trial wave function?i. ...ii. ...Explain. Get solution

4. A particle of mass m is in the one-dimensional potential given by V(x) = Kx3 for x ≥ 0, where K is a positive constant. There is an infinite potential barrier at x = 0, so V(0) = ∞. Use the variational principle with the trial wave function ∣ψ〉 = xe−ax to estimate the ground-state energy. Get solution

5. Repeat the calculation in Example 10.1 using the trial wave function...where α is the parameter to be varied. Is the final result a better or a worse approximation to the true ground-state energy than the result of Example 10.1? Get solution

6. (a) A particle of mass m is in the one-dimensional potential given by V(x) = Kx4, where K is a positive constant. Use the variational principle with the trial wave function ... to estimate the ground-state energy.(b) The true ground-state wave function for this potential is a symmetric function of x, i.e., ψ0(−x) = ψ0(x). Use the result of Exercise 10.2, along with an appropriately chosen trial wave function, to estimate the energy of the first excited state. Get solution

7. A three-dimensional spherically-symmetric harmonic oscillator has the potential V(r) = (1/2)Kr2. The full Hamiltonian is then...[Note that the L2 operator has been written out in terms of derivatives.](a) Use the trial wave function ψ(r) = e−αr to calculate an approximation to the ground-state energy of the harmonic oscillator.(b) The exact ground-state energy for the three-dimensional harmonic oscillator is E = (3/2)ħω. What is the relative error in the estimate from part (a)? Get solution

8. Here is another approach to solve for the ground-state energy of helium.(a) Begin with the Hamiltonian of Equation (10.5), but neglect the interaction between the two electrons. Solve the Schrödinger equation in this case to derive the wave function of the two electrons and the energy.(b) Now add the interaction of the electrons as a perturbation:...Use first-order perturbation theory to calculate the change in energy, and add this change to the energy derived in part (a) to give an estimate for the total ground-state energy.(c) Is the estimate in part (b) more accurate or less accurate than the estimate from the variational principle? Get solution

9. (a) Singly-ionized lithium has a nucleus of charge +3e and two electrons. Use the variational principle to estimate the ground-state energy.(b) Now consider a nucleus of charge Ze with two electrons. Use the variational principle to estimate the ground-state energy. Get solution

Chapter #9 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. (a) In Example 9.2, the energy of the system can be calculated exactly. Take ......, and calculate the exact energies. [Hint: Feel free to use a different coordinate system; the energy levels cannot depend on the choice of the coordinate system].(b) Take the answer in part (a) and expand it out in powers of Bx, remembering that Bx ≪ Bz. Show that the terms proportional to Bx and ... correspond to the answers derived in Example 9.2. Get solution

2. A particle is in a potential V0 in its ground state |ψ0〉. A small perturbation H1 is applied to the particle. Suppose that the first order perturbation to the energy is zero: E(1) = 〈ψo|H1|ψ0〉 = 0. Show that the lowest-order effect of H1 is to decrease the energy of the ground state. Get solution

3. A particle of mass m is confined to move in a one-dimensional square well with infinite potential barriers at x = 0 and x = a, with V = 0 for 0 ≤ x ≤ a. The particle is in the ground state. A perturbation H1 = λδ(x − a/2) is added, where λ is a small constant.(a) What units does λ have?(b) Calculate the first-order perturbation E(1) due to H1.(c) Calculate the second-order perturbation E(2). The answer may be expressed as an infinite series. Get solution

4. A particle of mass m is confined to move in a narrow, straight tube of length a which is sealed at both ends with V = 0 inside the tube. Treat the tube as a one-dimensional infinite square well. The tube is placed at an angle θ relative to the surface of the earth. The particle experiences the usual gravitational potential V = mgh. Calculate the lowest-order change in the energy of the ground state due to the gravitational potential. Get solution

5. A particle of mass m is in the ground state in the harmonic oscillator potential...A small perturbation βx6 is added to this potential.(a) What are the units of β?(b) How small must β be in order for perturbation theory to be valid?(c) Calculate the first-order change in the energy of the particle. Get solution

6. In the hydrogen atom, the proton is not really a point charge but has a finite size. Assume that the proton behaves as a uniformly-charged sphere of radius R = 10−15 m. Calculate the shift this produces in the ground-state energy of hydrogen. Get solution

7. The photon is normally assumed to have zero rest mass. If the photon had a small mass, this would alter the potential energy which the electron experiences in the electric field of the proton. Instead of...we would have...where r0 is a constant with units of length. Assume r0 is large compared to the size of the hydrogen atom, so the potential energy given in Equation (9.42) differs only slightly from the standard one given by Equation (9.41 ) in the vicinity of the electron. Calculate the change in the ground state energy of hydrogen if the correct potential is given by Equation (9.42) instead of Equation (9.41). Get solution

8. Suppose that that the proton had spin 0 instead of spin 1/2.(a) How would this alter the fine structure of the energy levels of the hydrogen atom?(b) How would this alter the hyperfine structure of the energy levels of the hydrogen atom? Get solution

9. We have seen that the spin-orbit interaction splits the l ≠ 0 states in the hydrogen atom into j = l + 1/2 states (with slightly higher energy) and j = l − 1/2 states (with slightly lower energy). Suppose that the electron had spin 1. How many different energy levels would the spin-orbit interaction produce, and what would their relative energies be? Be sure to consider how the answer would depend on the value of l. Get solution

10. Equation (9.29) gives the fine-structure energy shift.(a) Show that the j = l + 1/2 state has a higher energy than the j = l − 1 /2 state.(b) Show that the change in energy, ..., is always negative. Get solution

11. An electron is in the ground state in a three-dimensional rectangular box given by 0 ≤ x ≤ a, 0 ≤ y ≤ b, and 0 ≤ z ≤ c, where V = 0 inside the box, and there are infinite potential barriers at all of the walls. A homogeneous, static electric field with magnitude ε is applied in the x direction. What is the lowest-order change in the energy of the electron? Get solution

12. A hydrogen atom in its ground state is placed in a homogeneous, static electric field with magnitude ε in the x direction.(a) Show that the first-order perturbation E(1) is 0.(b) Show that the second-order perturbation E(2) is the same as if the field was pointing in the z direction. [This is obvious from symmetry, but calculate E(2) using perturbation theory and show it explicitly.] Get solution

13. A hydrogen atom is in its ground state. A proton is fixed in space a distance R from the nucleus of the hydrogen atom, where R ≫ a0. Calculate the perturbation to the energy of the hydrogen atom due to the electric field of this proton. Get solution

14. The electron in a hydrogen atom is in a D state. A homogenous, static magnetic field is applied in the z direction.(a) Draw a diagram showing the splitting of the energy levels in the weak-field limit. Calculate the value of g for each energy level.(b) Draw a diagram showing the splitting of the energy levels in the strong-field limit. Get solution

15. (a) A particle is in a state |ψ〉 which is an eigenfunction of the Hamiltonian with energy E. A perturbation H1 is applied such that H1|ψ〉 = 0. Show that the energy of the system, is completely unchanged by this perturbation.(b) In the ground state of the helium atom, both electrons are in the l = 0 state, and the spin wave function for the two electrons is the singlet spin state (s = 0 and ms = 0). [This is a consequence of the Pauli exclusion principle, which will be discussed in Chapter 13.] A homogeneous, static magnetic field is applied in the z direction. Show that the energy of the ground state of helium is completely unaffected by this magnetic field. [Ignore the magnetic moment of the nucleus.] What is the physical reason for this? Get solution

Chapter #8 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. (a) A particle with spin 1 has orbital angular momentum l = 0. What are the possible values for the total angular momentum quantum number j?(b) The same particle has l = 3. What are the possible values for j? Get solution

2. (a) A particle has spin 3/2 and orbital angular momentum l = 1. What are the possible values for the total angular momentum quantum number j?(b) For each value of j in part (a), determine the possible values of mj. Get solution

3. Determine (using the matrix representation) which of the following operators are Hermitian and which are not: Sx, Sy, Sz, S+, S−. Get solution

4. Derive the eigenvalues and the corresponding normalized eigenvectors of Sy given in Equations (8.24) and (8.25). Get solution

5. A particle has spin 1, so that ms = − 1, 0, or 1. Derive the matrices which correspond to Sx, Sy, and Sz. Get solution

6. (a) A particle has s = 3/2. The operator S++ is defined to be the square of the raising operator: S++ = (S+)2, where S+ is the usual raising operator:...Derive the matrix corresponding to the operator S++.(b) What is the matrix corresponding to the adjoint operator (S++)†? Get solution

7. Let the operator Q be given by Q = S+S−, where S+ and S− are the usual raising and lowering operators:...Derive the matrix corresponding to the operator Q for a spin 1 particle. Determine whether or not Q is Hermitian. Get solution

8. Using the matrix representation of the spin operators, verify the results for [Sx, Sy], [Sy, Sz], and [SZ, Sx] given in Equations (8.1)–(8.3). Get solution

9. A large number of spin-1/2 particles are run through a Stem-Gerlach machine. When they emerge, all of the particles have the same spin wave function ... (in the usual basis in which ... represents spin in the +z direction, and ... represents spin in the −z direction). The spin of these particles is measured in the z direction. On average, 9/25 of the particles have spin in the +z direction, and 16/25 have spin in the − z direction.(a) Determine a possible normalized spin wave function ....(b) Is there a single unique solution to part (a), a finite number of different solutions, or an infinite number of different solutions? (Multiplying the entire wave vector by a constant does not count as a different solution.) Get solution

10. A Stem-Gerlach experiment is set up with the axis of the inhomogeneous magnetic field in the x-yplane, at an angle θ relative to the x-axis. Call this direction r:...The spin operator in the r direction is...(a) For a spin-1/2 particle, calculate the matrix corresponding to Sr. Calculate the eigenvalues and corresponding eigenvectors. Normalize the eigenvectors and express them in the form a| ↑〉 + b|↓〉, where a and b are constants.(b) Suppose a measurement of the spin of the particle in the r direction is made and it is determined that the spin is in the positive r direction, i.e., Sr|ψ〉 = (+ħ/2)|ψ〉. Now a second measurement is made to determine msx (the component of the spin in the x direction). What is the probability that msx = −1/2? Suppose that instead of measuring msx, the z component of the spin ms is measured. What is the probability that ms = +1/2?(c) Suppose that the particle has spin in the positive r direction as in part (b). The z component of the spin is measured and it is discovered that ms = +1/2. Now a third measurement is made to determine msx. What is the probability that msx = −1/2? Get solution

11. A spin-1/2 particle is in the state ....(a) Verify that the wave function is correctly normalized.(b) A measurement is made of the x component of the spin. What is the probability that the spin will be in the − x direction?(c) Suppose a measurement is made of the spin in the z direction and it is discovered that the particle has ms = −1/2. Now a second measurement is made to determine the spin in the x direction. What is the probability that the spin will be in the +x direction? Get solution

12. An electron is precessing in a magnetic field. The wave function for the electron is...(a) Describe the plane of rotation of this particle.(b) In what direction is it rotating in this plane? Get solution

13. A magnetic field pointing in the − z direction produces a Hamiltonian H = −ωSz, where ω is a constant with units of frequency. A spin-1/2 particle is placed in this magnetic field. At t = 0, the particle is pointing in the +y direction.(a) Derive an expression for the spin vector ... as a function of time.(b) At t = π/ω, a measurement is made of the spin in the x direction. What is the probability that the spin is in the +x direction?(c) Suppose that at t = π/ω, a measurement is made of the spin in the x direction, and it is found that the spin is in the +x direction. Then at the time t = 2π/ω, another measurement is made of the spin in the x direction. What is the probability that the spin is in the +x direction? Get solution

14. An electron is precessing in a magnetic field aligned along the + z-axis. At t = 0, the spin of the electron is in the positive x direction. The wave function is...For t > 0, calculate the probability of finding the electron in the state(a) ms = +ħ/2(b) msx = +ħ/2 Get solution

15. A spin-1/2 particle is placed in a magnetic field pointing in the +x direction which produces a Hamiltonian H = ωSx, where ω is a constant with units of frequency. At t = 0, the particle is pointing in the +z direction. Derive an expression for the spin vector ... as a function of time. Get solution

16. A magnetic field pointing in the +z direction produces a Hamiltonian H = ωSz, where ω is a constant with units of frequency. A spin-1 particle is placed in this magnetic field. The matrix corresponding to Sz for a spin-1 particle is...At t = 0, the particle is pointing in the +x direction with normalized spin vector...Derive an expression for the spin vector ... as a function of time. Get solution

17. Consider a system of two particles: particle 1 has spin 1, and particle 2 has spin 1 /2. Let S be the total angular momentum operator for the two particles, where the eigenvalues of S2 and Sz are ħ2s(s + 1) and ħms, respectively. The particles are in the state s = 3/2 and ms = 1/2.(a) Calculate the wave function |s = 3/2 ms = 1/2) as a linear combination of the wave functions |m1s m2s〉, where m1s is the z component of the spin of particle 1, and is the z component of the spin of particle 2.(b) Find the probabilities that the z component of the spin of particle 1 isi. m1s= +1ii. m1s = 0iii. m1s = −1 Get solution

18. Suppose that particle 1 (with spin 1) and particle 2 (with spin 1/2) interact via the Hamiltonian operator...where λ is a constant. Calculate the energy of the state |s ms〉. Get solution

19. Two spin-1/2 particles are fixed in space with the Hamiltonian...where a and b are constants, and as usual, S2 is the total spin operator squared and Sz is the operator which gives the z component of the total spin. What are the energy levels of this system? Get solution

Chapter #7 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. The operator Q is given by the matrix:...(a) Determine the matrix corresponding to Q†.(b) Is Q Hermitian?(c) Find the eigenvalues of Q.(d) For each eigenvalue in part (c), determine the corresponding eigenvector. Get solution

2. The operator A is given by the matrix:...(a) Is A Hermitian?(b) Find the eigenvalues and corresponding eigenvectors.(c) What is unusual about the eigenvectors corresponding to the eigenvalue c = 0? Get solution

3. Suppose that an n × n matrix A is diagonal so that Aij = 0 for i ≠ j, but the diagonal elements A11, A22, ... need not be zero. Find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of this matrix. Get solution

4. The trace of a matrix A, written tr (A), is defined to be the sum of its diagonal elements:...(a) Show that for any two square matrices, tr(AB) = tr(BA).(b) Show that for any matrix A, the trace is equal to the sum of its eigenvalues (where multiple eigenvalues must be included in the sum multiple times). Get solution

5. Normalize these vectors: .... Get solution

6. A particle is in the state ∣ϕ〉, and let ∣ψ1〉, ∣ψ2〉, …, ∣ψn〉 be an orthonormal basis for the vector space which contains ∣ϕ〉. Q is a Hermitian operator. Show that... Get solution

7. Suppose that ∣ψ1〉, ∣ψ2〉, …, ∣ψn〉 is an orthonormal basis set, and all of the basis vectors are eigenvectors of the operator Q with Q∣ψn〉 = qj∣ψn〉 for all j. A particle is in the state ∣ϕ〉. Show that for this particle, the expectation value of Q is... Get solution

8. If the operator U has the property that U†U = 1 (where I is the identity operator), then U is called a unitary operator. Show that if ∣ψ1〉, ∣ψ2〉, …, ∣ψn〉 are a set of orthonormal vectors, then U∣ψ1〉, U∣ψ2〉, …, U∣ψn〉 are also a set of orthonormal vectors. Get solution

9. Suppose that U is a unitary operator, as defined in Exercise 7.8, and U is represented by a matrix. Show that the columns of U form a set of orthonormal column vectors. Get solution

10. A particle is in the state ∣ϕ〉. Let ∣ψ1〉, ∣ψ2〉, …, ∣ψn〉 be an orthonormal basis for the vector space which contains ∣ϕ〉, and assume that all of these basis vectors are eigenvectors of H with H∣ψj〉 = Ej∣ψj〉 for all j. Suppose that the operator Q satisfies...where Z is just the usual position operator in the z direction. Derive an expression for Q as a function of H and Z, but not containing Em. Get solution

11. The delta function is sometimes represented as...Show that this definition satisfies the properties of the delta function given in Equations (7.10)–(7.12). Get solution

12. Show that... Get solution

13. Show that...where x0 is determined by g(x0) = 0. Get solution

Chapter #6 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. A particle is confined inside a rectangular box given by 0 ≤ x ≤ a, 0 ≤ y ≤ b,and 0 ≤ z ≤ c. The solution to the Schrödinger equation is...where A is a constant. The energy levels are given by...(a) Normalize the wave functions. You should obtain ..., where V = abc is the volume of the box.(b) Suppose the particle is in the ground state. Calculate the probability of finding the particle in the lower fourth of the box, i.e., in the region z ≤ c/4. Get solution

2. A particle is confined inside a cubic box with edge of length a. Show that there are six different wave functions that have E = 14(ħ2π2/2ma2). (This is called sixfold degeneracy.) Get solution

3. (a) A particle is confined inside a rectangular box with sides of length a, a, and 2a. What is the energy of the first excited state? Is this state degenerate? If so, determine how many different wave functions have this energy.(b) Now assume the rectangular box has sides of length a, 2a, and 2a. What is the energy of the first excited state? Is this state degenerate? If so, determine how many different wave functions have this energy. Get solution

4. (a) A particle with mass m and energy E is inside a square tube with infinite potential barriers at x = 0, x = a, y = 0, and y = a. The tube is infinitely long in the z direction. Inside the tube, V = 0. The particle is moving in the +z direction. Solve the Schrödinger equation to derive the allowed wave functions for this particle. Do not try to normalize the wave functions, but make sure they correspond to motion in the +z direction.(b) Energy should not be quantized in this case because the particle is not in a bound state. Use the answer from part (a) to show that this is indeed the case. Get solution

5. Show that Lx and Ly are Hermitian. Get solution

6. Verify that [X, Y] = 0 and [Px, Py] = 0. Get solution

7. Calculate these commutators:... Get solution

8. Show that ħ has units of angular momentum. Get solution

9. The operator Q obeys the commutation relation [Q, H] = E0Q, where E0 is a constant with units of energy. Show that if ψ(x) is a solution of the time-independent Schrödinger equation with energy E, then Qψ(x) is also a solution of the time- independent Schrödinger equation, and determine the energy corresponding to Qψ(x). Get solution

10. The simple harmonic oscillator in one dimension can also be solved by the method of ladder operators. This solution is simpler and more elegant than the one in Chapter 4.(a) For a particle of mass m in a one-dimensional simple harmonic oscillator potential ..., the Hamiltonian operator is...Define the ladder operators a− and a+ to be given by...and...Show that...and...where ....(b) Suppose that ψ (x) is a solution of the time-independent Schrödinger equation for the harmonic oscillator with energy E. Show that a+ψ(x) is also a solution of the time-independent Schrödinger equation for the harmonic oscillator with energy E + ħω. Show that a−ψ(x) is a solution with energy E − ħω.(c) Show that a+a− = H − ħω/2.(d) There is no upper bound on the possible values for E, but there is a lower bound; the energy cannot be negative. This means that if ψ0(x) is the ground state wave function, then a−ψ0(x) = 0. Using the relation derived in part (c), show that the ground state wave function has energy ħω/2.(e) Write out the equation a−ψ0(x) = 0 as a differential equation and solve it to find the ground-state wave function. Get solution

11. A particle is confined in a cubic box with edge of length a, with V = 0 inside the box. The particle is in its ground state; determine whether or not the particle is in an eigenstate of Lz. Get solution

12. Consider a three-dimensional system with wave function ψ. If ψ is in the l = 0 state, we already know that Lzψ = 0. Show that Lxψ = 0 and Lyψ = 0 as well. (Note this is the only exception to the rule that a wave function cannot be simultaneously an eigenfunction of Lx, Ly, and Lz.) Get solution

13. A particle is in an eigenstate of L2 and Lz, with quantum numbers l and ml. By symmetry, we must have .... Show that .... Get solution

14. The “radius of the hydrogen atom” is often taken to be on the order of about 10−10 m. If a measurement is made to determine the location of the electron for hydrogen in its ground state, what is the probability of finding the electron within 10−10 m of the nucleus? Get solution

15. (a) The electron in a hydrogen atom is in the l = 1 state having the lowest possible energy and the highest possible value for ml. What are the n, l, and ml quantum numbers?(b) A particle is moving in an unknown central potential. The wave function of the particle is spherically symmetric. What are the values of l and ml? Get solution

16. The deuteron is a nucleus of “heavy hydrogen” consisting of one proton and one neutron. As a simple model for this nucleus, consider a single particle of mass m moving in a fixed spherically-symmetric potential V(r), defined by V(r) = −V0 for r r0 and V(r) = 0 for r > r0. This is called a spherical square-well potential. Assume that the particle is in a bound state with l = 0.(a) Find the general solutions R(r) to the radial Schrödinger equation for r r0 and r > r0. Use the fact that the wave function must be finite at 0 and ∞ to simplify the solution as much as possible. (You do not have to normalize the solutions.)(b) The deuteron is only just bound; i.e., E is nearly equal to 0. Take m to be the proton mass, m = 1.67 × 10−27 kg, and take r0 to be a typical nuclear radius, r0 = 1 × 10−15 m. Find the value of V0 (the depth of the potential well) in MeV (1 MeV = 1.6 × 10−13 J). (Hint: The continuity conditions at r0 must be used. The radial wave function R(r) and its derivative R′(r) must both be continuous at r0; this is equivalent to requiring that u(r) and u′(r) must both be continuous at r0, where u(r) = rR(r). The resulting equations cannot be solved exactly but can be used to derive the value for V0.) Get solution

17. Determine all potentials V(r, θ, ϕ) for which it is possible to find solutions of the time-independent Schrödinger equation which are also eigenfunctions of the operator Lz. Get solution

18. A particle with mass m is confined inside of a spherical cavity of radius r0. The potential is spherically symmetric and can be written in the form: V(r) = 0 for r r0, and V(r) = ∞ for r = r0; in other words, there is an infinite potential barrier at r = r0. The particle is in the l = 0 state.(a) Solve the radial Schrödinger equation and use the appropriate boundary conditions to find the ground state radial wave function R(r) and the ground state energy.(b) What is the pressure exerted by the particle (in the l = 0 ground state) on the surface of the sphere? Get solution

19. A particle of mass m is in a three-dimensional, spherically-symmetric harmonic oscillator potential given by V(r) = (1/2)Kr2. The particle is in the l = 0 state. Find the ground-state radial wave function R(r) and the ground-state energy. Get solution

20. Deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen with a nucleus consisting of one proton and one neutron. Let λ(D)2→1 be the wavelength of the photon emitted when the electron in a deuterium atom drops from the n = 2 state to the n = 1 state, and let λ(H)2→1 be the corresponding energy for ordinary hydrogen. Calculate λ(D)2→1 − λ(H)2→1. Get solution

Chapter #5 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. Verify the commutator properties given in Equations (5.4)–(5.7), i.e., for any operators A, B, and C, show that... Get solution

2. Consider a particle moving in three dimensions. Is it possible for the particle to be in a state of definite px and y, i.e., can both its y-coordinate and its momentum in the x direction be known at the same time? Get solution

3. (a) Verify that the ordinary dot product for three-dimensional vectors satisfies all of the properties of an inner product, given by Equations (5.11)–(5.14).(b) Verify that the inner product for complex-valued, three-dimensional functions defined in Equation (5.16) satisfies Equations (5.11)–(5.14). Get solution

4. (a) The operators A, B, and C are all Hermitian with [A, B] = C. Show that C = 0.(b) The operators A and B are both Hermitian with [A, B] = iħ. Determine whether or not AB is a Hermitian operator. Get solution

5. The one-dimensional parity operator Π is defined by Πψ(x) = ψ(−x). In other words, n changes x into −x everywhere in the function.(a) Is Π a Hermitian operator?(b) For what potentials V(x) is it possible to find a set of wavefunctions which are eigenfunctions of the parity operator and solutions of the one-dimensional time-independent Schrödinger equation? Get solution

6. (a) Let Q be an operator which is not a function of time, and let H be the Hamiltonian operator. Show that...Here 〈q〉 is the expectation value of Q for an arbitrary time-dependent wave function Ψ, which is not necessarily an eigenfunction of H, and 〈[Q, H]〉 is the expectation value of the commutator of Q and H for the same wave function. This result is known as Ehrenfest’s theorem.(b) Use this result to show that...What is the classical analog of this equation? Get solution

7. (a) Show that the one-dimensional momentum operator is Hermitian.(b) Use this result to show that the one-dimensional Hamiltonian operator H with potential V(x) is Hermitian. What (reasonable) assumption must be made about V(x) to derive this result? Get solution

8. Suppose that the operator T is defined by T = αQ†Q, where or is a real number, and Q is an operator (not necessarily Hermitian). Show that T is Hermitian. Get solution

9. Determine all potentials V(x) for which it is possible to find a set of solutions of the time-independent Schrödinger equation which are also eigenfunctions of the position operator X, or else show that no such potentials exist. Get solution

10. Suppose that two operators P and Q satisfy the commutation relation...Suppose that ψ is an eigenfunction of the operator P with eigenvalue p. Show that Qψ is also an eigenfunction of P, and find its eigenvalue. Get solution

11. The operator F is defined by Fψ(x) = ψ(x + a) + ψ(x − a), where a is a nonzero constant. Determine whether or not F is a Hermitian operator. Get solution

Chapter #4 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. Show that the differential equation solution given in Equation (4.5), ......, is completely equivalent to the solution in Equation (4.6), ......, and express C1 and C2 in terms of D1 and D2. If both D1 and D2 are real, is it possible for both C1 and C2 to be real? Get solution

2. Show that the general expression for the wave function for a free particle, given by Equation (4.8) as ..., is not an eigenfunction of momentum unless C1 = 0 or C2 = 0. Get solution

3. A particle with mass m and energy E is moving in one dimension from right to left. It is incident on the step potential V(x) = 0 for x V(x) = V0 for x ≥ 0, where V0 > 0, as shown on the diagram. The energy of the particle is E > V0....(a) Solve the Schrödinger equation to derive the wave function for x x ≥ 0. Express the solution in terms of a single unknown constant.(b) Calculate the value of the reflection coefficient R for the particle. Get solution

4. A particle with mass m and energy E is moving in one dimension from left to right. It is incident on the step potential V(x) = 0 for x V(x) = V0 for x ≥ 0, where V0 > 0, as shown on the diagram. The energy of the particle is exactly equal to V0, i.e., E = V0....(a) Solve the Schrödinger equation to derive the wave function for x x ≥ 0. Express the solution in terms of a single unknown constant.(b) Calculate the value of the reflection coefficient R for the particle. Get solution

5. Consider reflection from a step potential of height V0 with E > V0, but now with an infinitely high wall added at a distance a from the step (see diagram):...(a) Solve the Schrödinger equation to find ψ(x) for x x ≤ a. Your solution should contain only one unknown constant.(b) Show that the reflection coefficient at x = 0 is R = 1. This is different from the value of R previously derived without the infinite wall. What is the physical reason that R = 1 in this case?(c) Which part of the wave function represents a leftward-moving particle at x ≤ 0? Show that this part of the wave function is an eigenfunction of the momentum operator, and calculate the eigenvalue. Is the total wave function for x ≤ 0 an eigenfunction of the momentum operator? Get solution

6. An electron is accelerated through a potential difference of 3 eV and is incident on a finite potential barrier of height 5 eV and thickness 5 × 10−10 m. What is the probability that the electron will tunnel through the barrier? Get solution

7. Consider an infinite square-well potential of width a, but with the coordinate system shifted so that the infinite potential barriers lie at x = −a/2 and x = a/2 (see diagram):...(a) Solve the Schrödinger equation for this case to calculate the normalized wave functions ψn(x) and the corresponding energies En.(b) Explain why you get the same energies as for the square well between x = 0 and x = a, but a different set of wave functions. Get solution

8. A baseball (see Example 4.2) is confined between two thick walls a distance 0.5 m apart. Calculate the zero-point energy of the baseball. Get solution

9. A particle is trapped inside an infinite one-dimensional square well of width a in the first excited state (n = 2).(a) You make a measurement to locate the particle. At what positions are you most likely to find the particle? At what positions are you least likely to find it?(b) Calculate 〈p2〉 for this particle. Get solution

10. A particle is bound in a one-dimensional potential V(x), where V(x) is symmetric, i.e., V(x) = V(−x).(a) Suppose that Ψ(x) is a solution of the Schrödinger equation with energy E. Make the change of variables y = −x, and show that ψ(y) is also a solution of the Schrödinger equation with energy E.(b) Since the solutions of the Schrödinger equation for a fixed value of E are unique (up to multiplication by a constant), the result from part (a) implies that ψ(x) = cψ(−x), where c is an unknown constant. Use this result to show that ψ(x) must be either even [ψ(−x) = ψ(x)] or odd [ψ(−x) = −ψ(x)].(c) For a particle bound in a one-dimensional symmetric potential, so that V(−x) = V(x), show that all of the following are true:i. ψ*ψ is a symmetric function,ii. 〈x〉 = 0,iii. 〈p〉 = 0. Get solution

11. Consider the semi-infinite square well given by V(x) = −V0 x ≤ a and V(x) = 0 for x > a. There is an infinite barrier at x = 0 (hence the name “semi-infinite”). A particle with mass m is in a bound state in this potential with energy E ≤ 0.(a) Solve the Schrödinger equation to derive ψ(x) for x ≥ 0. Use the appropriate boundary conditions and normalize the wave function so that the final answer does not contain any arbitrary constants.(b) Show that the allowed energy levels E must satisfy the equation...(c) The equation in part (b) cannot be solved analytically to give the allowed energy levels, but simple solutions exist in certain special cases. Determine the conditions on V0 and a so that a bound state exists with E = 0. Get solution

12. A particle of mass m moves in a harmonic oscillator potential. The particle is in the first excited state.(a) Calculate 〈x〉 for this particle.(b) Calculate 〈p〉 for this particle.(c) Calculate 〈p2〉 for this particle.(d) At what positions are you most likely to find the particle? At what positions are you least likely to find it? Get solution

13. The oscillation frequencies of a diatomic molecule are typically 1012 Hz−1014 Hz. Derive an order of magnitude estimate for the harmonic oscillator constant K for such molecules. Get solution

14. A particle of mass m is bound in a one-dimensional power law potential V(x) = Kxβ, where ß is an even positive integer. Show that the allowed energy levels are proportional to m−β/(2+β). Get solution

15. A particle is moving in a simple harmonic oscillator potential ... for x ≥ 0, but with an infinite potential barrier at x = 0 (the paddle ball potential). Calculate the allowed wave functions and corresponding energies. Get solution

16. A particle moves in one dimension in the potential V(x) = V0 ln(x/x0) for x > 0, where x0 and V0 are constants with units of length and energy, respectively. There is an infinite potential barrier at x = 0. The particle drops from the first excited state with energy E1 into the ground state with energy E0, by emitting a photon with energy E1−E0. Show that the frequency of the photon emitted by this particle is independent of the mass of the particle. Get solution

Chapter #3 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. A particle of mass m is moving in one dimension in a potential V(x, t). The wave function for the particle isfor −∞ x k and A are constants.(a) Show that V is independent of t, and determine V(x).(b) Normalize this wave function.(c) Using the normalized wave function, calculate 〈x〉, 〈x2〉, 〈p〉, and 〈p2〉. Get solution

2. Determine which of the following one-dimensional wave functions represent states of definite momentum. For each wave function that does correspond to a state of definite momentum, determine the momentum.(a) ψ(x) = eikx(b) ψ(x) = xe'ikx(c) ψ(x) = sin(kx) + i cos(kx)(d) ψ(x) = eikx + e−ikx Get solution

3. The wave function for a particle is Ψ(x, t) = sin(kx)[i cos(ωt/2) + sin(ωt/2)], where k and ω are constants.(a) Is this particle in a state of definite momentum? If so, determine the momentum.(b) Is this particle in a state of definite energy? If so, determine the energy. Get solution

4. A particle with mass m is, moving in one dimension near the speed of light so that the relation...for the kinetic energy is no longer valid. Instead, the total energy is given by...Hence, we can no longer use the Schrödinger equation. Suppose the wave function Ψ(x, t) for the particle is an eigenfunction of the energy operator and an eigenfunction of the momentum operator, and also assume that there is no potential energy V. Derive a linear differential equation for Ψ(x, t). Get solution

5. A particle with mass m is moving in one dimension in the potential V(x). The particle is in a state of definite energy E, but it is not in a state of definite momentum p. Show that... Get solution

6. Consider the solution to the Schrödinger equation for the infinite square well with n = 2 rather than n = 1 in Equation (3.20). Derive Ψ(x, t) for this case, and normalize this wave function. Get solution

7. Suppose that a wave function Ψ (r, t) is normalized. Show that the wave function eiθΨ(r, t), where θ is an arbitrary real number, is also normalized. Get solution

8. Suppose that ψ1 and ψ2 are two different solutions of the time-independent Schrödinger equation with the same energy E.(a) Show that ψ1 + ψ2 is also a solution with energy E.(b) Show that cψ1 is also a solution of the Schrödinger equation with energy E. Get solution

9. A particle moves in one dimension in the potential shown here. The energy E is shown on the graph, and the particle is in its ground state....(a) Sketch ψ(x) for this particle.(b) You make a measurement to find the particle. Indicate on your graph the point or points at which you are most likely to find it. Get solution

10. A particle moves in one dimension in the potential shown here. The energy E is shown on the graph, and the particle is in its first excited state....(a) Sketch ψ(x) for this particle.(b) You make a measurement to find the particle. Indicate on your graph the point or points at which you are most likely to find it. Get solution

11. A particle moving in one dimension is described by the function ψ(x) shown here:...(a) You make a measurement to locate the particle. Which one of the following is true?i. You will always find the particle at point B.ii. You are most likely to find the particle at points A or C and least likely to find the particle at point B.iii. You are most likely to find the particle at points A, B, or C.Explain your answer.(b) Which one of the following potentials V(x) could give rise to this ψ(x)?... Get solution

Chapter #2 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. Evaluate all of the following, and express all of your final answers in the form a + bi:(a) i (2 − 3i)(3 + 5i)(b) i/(i − 1)(c) (1 + i)30 Get solution

2. In the complex plane, there are 5 different fifth roots of 1. Determine the five values for ..., and express them in polar form. Get solution

3. Suppose that z = 1 + eiθ. Calculate z*, z2, and |z|2. Your expression for |z|2 should not contain any imaginary numbers. Get solution

4. Suppose that a complex number z has the property that z* = z. What does this indicate about z? Get solution

5. Reduce ii to a real number. Get solution

6. What is wrong with the following argument?...Therefore,... Get solution

7. Determine which of the following are linear operators, and which are not.(a) The parity operator Π[f(x)] = f(−x).(b) The translation operator T[f(x)] = f(x + 1).(c) The operator L[f(x)] = f(x) + 1. Get solution

8. Consider the identity operator I, defined by I[f(x)] = f(x).(a) Show that I is a linear operator.(b) Find the eigenfunctions and corresponding eigenvalues of I. Get solution

9. Suppose that the function f(x) is an eigenfunction of the linear operator P with eigenvalue p, and f(x) is also an eigenfunction of the linear operator Q with eigenvalue q. Show that PQ[f(x)] = QP[f(x)], where PQ[f(x)] means to first apply the operator Q to f(x), and then apply P to the result. Get solution

10. Consider the square of the derivative operator D2.(a) Show that D2 is a linear operator.(b) Find the eigenfunctions and corresponding eigenvalues of D2.(c) Give an example of an eigenfunction of D2 which is not an eigenfunction of D. Get solution

11. Let f(x) be an eigenfunction of a linear operator L with eigenvalue a. Show that cf(x) (where c is a constant) is an eigenfunction of L with eigenvalue a. Get solution

12. Consider the following operator L:...(a) Show that L is a linear operator.(b) Find the eigenfunctions of L, or show that L has no eigenfunctions. Get solution

Chapter #1 Solutions - Quantum Mechanics - Robert Scherrer - 1st Edition

1. Assume that a human body emits blackbody radiation at the standard body temperature.(a) Estimate how much energy is radiated by the body in one hour.(b) At what wavelength does this radiation have its maximum intensity? Get solution

2. A distant red star is observed to have a blackbody spectrum with a maximum at a wavelength of 3500 Å [1 Å = 10−10 m]. What is the temperature of the star? Get solution

3. The universe is filled with blackbody radiation at a temperature of 2.7 K left over from the Big Bang. [This radiation was discovered in 1965 by Bell Laboratory scientists, who thought at one point that they were seeing interference from pigeon droppings on their microwave receiver.](a) What is the total energy density of this radiation?(b) What is the total energy density with wavelengths between 1 mm and 1.01 mm? Is the Rayleigh-Jeans formula a good approximation at these wavelengths? Get solution

4. Over what range in frequencies does the Rayleigh-Jeans formula give a result within 10% of the Planck blackbody spectrum? Get solution

5. Let ρ(υ0) be the total energy density of blackbody radiation in all frequencies less than υ0, where hυ0 ≪ kT. Derive an expression for ρ(υ0). Get solution

6. Suppose we want to measure the total energy density in blackbody radiation above some cutoff frequency υ0. Let ρ(> υ0) be the total radiation density in all frequencies greater than υ0. Using the Planck blackbody spectrum show that ...... is a good approximation when hυ0 is much larger than kT. Get solution

7. (a) Express the Planck spectrum (Equation 1.7) as a function of the wavelength λ of the radiation, rather than the frequency υ.(b) Use this expression to derive the wavelength λmax at which the spectrum is a maximum.(c) Does λmaxυmax = c? Get solution

8. In a photoelectric experiment, electrons are emitted from a surface illuminated by light of wavelength 4000 Å, and the stopping potential for these electrons is found to be Φ0 = 0.5 V. What is the longest wavelength of light that can illuminate this surface and still produce a photoelectric current? Get solution

9. A lightbulb emits 40 W of power at a wavelength of 6 × 10−7 m.(a) What is the total number of photons emitted per second?(b) What is the energy of each photon? Get solution

10. (a) Using the Planck blackbody spectrum, and the fact that a photon with a frequency υ has an energy of hυ, derive an expression for n(υ)dυ, the total number density of photons with frequencies between υ and υ + dυ in blackbody radiation.(b) Using the expression from part (a), show that the total number density of photons in blackbody radiation is given by...where ß is a constant given by ß ≈ 60. [Note that the integral ... cannot be done analytically, so use the numerical result that ... 2.4.] Get solution

11. A gamma ray with energy 1 MeV is scattered off of an unknown particle which is at rest. The gamma ray is reflected directly backward with a final energy of 0.98 MeV. What is m0c2 for the unknown particle? (Express your answer in MeV.) Get solution

12. Calculate the de Broglie wavelength of a proton (mc2 = 938 MeV) with(a) a kinetic energy of 0.1 MeV(b) a total energy of 3 GeV. Get solution

13. The Balmer series (the m = 2 case in Equation 1.18) was discovered before the other series of spectral lines (m = 1, m = 3, etc.). Why? (Hint: Plug in some numbers and calculate wavelengths for m = 1, m = 2, and m = 3.) Get solution

14. Verify that ħ has units of angular momentum. Get solution

15. Beginning with the Bohr energy levels (Equation 1.24), derive the expression for the wavelengths of the spectral lines in hydrogen (Equation 1.18) and use this result to express R as a function of m, e, ħ, c, and ϵ0. Plug in values for these constants and verify that the correct result for R is obtained. Get solution

16. Suppose that the attractive force between the electron and proton in the hydrogen atom as given by some power law other than the inverse square law, i.e., assume that the force is given by F = krβ, where k is a constant, and ß is an arbitrary number with ß ≠ 1. [For example, the ordinary Coulomb law corresponds to the case ß = −2. The harmonic oscillator corresponds to ß = 1.] Use the Bohr quantization rule to show that for ß ≠ −1, the energy levels of the atom are give by...This formula gives an absurd answer when ß = −3; why? Get solution