Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.

12 Page 1 of 4

Problem 1.12
What if we were interested in the distribution of momenta (p = mv), for the classical harmonic
oscillator (Problem 1.11(b)).
√
√ the classical probability distribution ρ(p) (note that p ranges from − 2mE to
(a) Find
+ 2mE).

(b) Calculate hpi, hp2 i, and σp .

(c) What’s the classical uncertainty product, σx σp , for this system? Notice that this product
can be as small as you like, classically, simply by sending E → 0. But in quantum
mechanics, as we shall see in Chapter
p 2, the energy of a simple harmonic oscillator cannot
be less than ~ω/2, where ω = k/m is the classical frequency. In that case what can you
say about the product σx σp ?

Solution

We’ll need the formulas of the previous problem.

1
ρ(x) dx = dx (1)
v(x)T
ˆ b
1
T = dx (2)
a v(x)

Assuming there’s no friction, conservation of mechanical energy states that the total energy E is
the sum of the potential and kinetic energies.

1 p2
E = PE + KE = kx2 +
2 2m
Solve for x in terms of p. r
2mE − p2
x=±
mk
Make this substitution in equations (1) and (2).
r
2mE − p2
x=±
mk
−1/2 
1 2mE − p2
 
2p p
dx = ± − dp = ∓ p dp
2 mk mk mk(2mE − p2 )

Consequently, equations (1) and (2) become

" # " #
p 1 p 1
ρ[x(p)] ∓ p dp = ∓p dp ⇒ ρ(p) =
mk(2mE − p2 ) v[x(p)]T mk(2mE − p2 ) v(p)T
ˆ p(b) " #
1 p
T = ∓p dp .
p(a) v(p) mk(2mE − p2 )

www.stemjock.com
Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.12 Page 2 of 4

The potential function is shown below.

Because there’s no friction, the classical turning points are a = −A and b = A, where A is the
amplitude of oscillation. Also, it takes the same amount of time T for a mass m to go from
x = −A to x = A√as it does from√x = 0 to x = −A and back to x = 0. The momentum at each of
these points is − 2mE, 0, and 2mE, respectively.
1
ρ(p) = ˆ √ " #
2mE
1 p
v(p) √ ∓p dp
− 2mE v(p) mk(2mE − p2 )

This quantity in square brackets in front of dp is dx/dp. As the particle

√ is moving to the left, dx is
negative and dp is positive, so choose the positive sign for p = − 2mE to p = 0. As the particle
√
is moving to the right, dx and dp are positive, so choose the positive sign for p = 0 to p = 2mE.
1 1
ρ(p) = ˆ √ " #= ˆ √
2mE 2mE
p m p p dp
√ p dp √ √ p
m − 2mE p mk(2mE − p2 ) mk − 2mE 2mE − p2

Make the following trigonometric substitution in the integral.

√
p = 2mE sin θ ⇒ 2mE − p2 = 2mE(1 − sin2 θ) = 2mE cos2 θ
√
dp = 2mE cos θ dθ

As a result, √
1 1 mk
ρ(p) = ˆ sin−1 (1)
√ = ˆ π/2 = .
p 2mE cos θ dθ p πp
√ √ √ dθ
mk sin−1 (−1) 2mE cos θ mk −π/2

www.stemjock.com
Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.12 Page 3 of 4

Calculate the expectation value of p.

ˆ ˆ √2mE " # ˆ √2mE √ !" #
p mk p
pρ(x) dx √ pρ[x(p)] p dp √ p p dp
− 2mE mk(2mE − p2 ) − 2mE πp mk(2mE − p2 )
hpi = ˆ = ˆ √ " # = ˆ √2mE √ " #
2mE
ρ(x) dx p mk p
√ ρ[x(p)] p dp √ p dp
− 2mE mk(2mE − p2 ) − 2mE πp mk(2mE − p2 )
ˆ √2mE
1 p
√ p dp
π − 2mE 2mE − p2
= ˆ √2mE
1 dp
π −√2mE 2mE − p2
p

1
(0)
= π
1
(π)
π
=0
The integral on top is zero because the integrand is odd and the integration interval is symmetric.
Now calculate the expectation value of p2 .
ˆ ˆ √2mE " # ˆ √2mE √ !" #
2 p 2 mk p
p2 ρ(x) dx √ p ρ[x(p)] p dp √ p p dp
− 2mE mk(2mE − p 2)
− 2mE πp mk(2mE − p2 )
hp i = ˆ
2
= ˆ √ " # = ˆ √2mE √ " #
2mE
ρ(x) dx p mk p
√ ρ[x(p)] p dp √ p dp
− 2mE mk(2mE − p2 ) − 2mE πp mk(2mE − p2 )
ˆ √2mE
1 p2
dp
π −√2mE 2mE − p2
p
= ˆ √2mE
1 dp
π −√2mE 2mE − p2
p
ˆ −1
1 sin (1) 2mE sin2 θ √
√ ( 2mE cos θ dθ)
π sin−1 (−1) 2mE cos θ
= ˆ −1 √
1 sin (1) 2mE cos θ dθ
√
π sin−1 (−1) 2mE cos θ
ˆ π/2
2mE
sin2 θ dθ
π −π/2
= ˆ
1 π/2
dθ
π −π/2
2mE  π 
= π 2
1
(π)
π
= mE
Finally, calculate the standard deviation.
p √
σp = hp2 i − hpi2 = mE

www.stemjock.com
Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.12 Page 4 of 4

√
σx = A/ 2 was determined in the previous problem. The uncertainty product is

√
  r
A mE
σx σp = √ ( mE) = A .
2 2

Notice that it goes to zero as E → 0. For the quantum mechanical simple harmonic oscillator,
though,
~ω
E≥ ,
2
which means
√
s

m ~ω 2 A m~ω
σx σp ≥ A = .
2 4

www.stemjock.com