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UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO
MEMORANDUM

SUPPLEMENTARY/AEGROTAT EXAMINATION

MODULE: SPHA031 MAY/JUNE 2019

(QUANTUM MECHANICS)
Question 1 [20]

1.1

(05)

1.2

𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑖 + 𝑃𝑃𝑖𝑖 = 𝑃𝑃𝑓𝑓 + 𝑝𝑝𝑓𝑓

(𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑖 − 𝑝𝑝𝑓𝑓 ). (𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑖 − 𝑝𝑝𝑓𝑓 ) = (𝑃𝑃𝑓𝑓 − 𝑃𝑃𝑖𝑖 ). (𝑃𝑃𝑓𝑓 − 𝑃𝑃𝑖𝑖 )

𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑖2 − 2𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑖 𝑝𝑝𝑓𝑓 cos 𝜃𝜃 + 𝑝𝑝𝑓𝑓2 = 𝑃𝑃𝑓𝑓2 , since 𝑃𝑃𝑖𝑖 = 0

… multiplying through by 𝑐𝑐 not forgetting that 𝐸𝐸 2 = 𝑝𝑝2 𝑐𝑐 2 + 𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑒2 𝑐𝑐 4

𝜖𝜖𝑖𝑖2 − 2𝜖𝜖𝑖𝑖 𝜖𝜖𝑓𝑓 cos 𝜃𝜃 + 𝜖𝜖𝑓𝑓2 = 𝐸𝐸𝑓𝑓2 − 𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑒2 𝑐𝑐 4 . (05)

1.3

a particle with momentum 𝑝𝑝 has de Broglie wavelength given by 𝜆𝜆 = ℎ/𝑝𝑝.

this means that a de Broglie wave with wave number 𝑘𝑘 = 2𝜋𝜋/𝜆𝜆 describes a particle with momentum
ℎ
𝑝𝑝 = ℏ𝑘𝑘 , where ℏ=
2𝜋𝜋
to extend this argument, assume that a de Broglie wave packet with a range of wave numbers from 𝑘𝑘 − Δ𝑘𝑘 to
𝑘𝑘 + Δ𝑘𝑘 describes a particle with an uncertain momentum
Δ𝑝𝑝 ≈ ℏ∆𝑘𝑘
assume also that the length of this wave packet is a measure of Δ𝑥𝑥, the uncertainty in the position of the
particle.
2𝜋𝜋
∆𝑥𝑥 ≈
∆𝑘𝑘
using the equation Δ𝑝𝑝 ≈ ℏ∆𝑘𝑘 and the figure of linear superposition of waves as a model
we multiply these two uncertainties to obtain
∆𝑥𝑥∆𝑝𝑝 ≈ ℎ (05)

ℎ
1.4 de Broglie wave: 𝜆𝜆 = and 𝑝𝑝 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
𝑝𝑝

ℎ 6.63×10−34 𝐽𝐽𝐽𝐽
𝜆𝜆 = = 107 𝑚𝑚
= 7.3 × 10−11 m = 0.73 Å. (05)
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 9.11×10−31 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘( )
𝑠𝑠
Question 2 [20]

2.1

• a free particle is the one which moves through space without experiencing any force.
• hence it travels in a straight line.
• its potential is everywhere constant and can be assigned zero magnitude!
• the energy states are not quantized, but any value is allowed.
• wavefunction solutions are imaginary exponentials, indicating an oscillating amplitude in space and time. (04)

2.2

𝑑𝑑 ℏ2 𝑑𝑑 2
𝑖𝑖ℏ 𝜓𝜓 = − 𝜓𝜓, 𝑚𝑚 is the particles mass and 𝜓𝜓 is the wavefunction. (04)
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2𝑚𝑚 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2

2.3

The plane waves are: 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡) = 𝐴𝐴𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖(𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘−𝜔𝜔𝜔𝜔) :

𝑑𝑑 2 2𝑚𝑚
So for a free particle SE is 𝜓𝜓 + 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 = 0
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2 ℏ2

𝑑𝑑 2 𝑑𝑑
𝜓𝜓 = −𝑘𝑘 2 𝜓𝜓 and 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 = 𝑖𝑖ℏ 𝜓𝜓 = ℏ𝜔𝜔𝜔𝜔
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

2𝑚𝑚
−𝑘𝑘 2 𝜓𝜓 + (ℏ𝜔𝜔𝜔𝜔) = 0
ℏ2

2𝑚𝑚
⟹ (ℏ𝜔𝜔𝜔𝜔) = 𝑘𝑘 2 𝜓𝜓,
ℏ2

ℏ ℏ
⟹ 𝜔𝜔(𝑘𝑘) = 𝑘𝑘 2 = 𝑘𝑘�⃗ ∙ 𝑘𝑘�⃗ in 3-D which is a dispersion relation for plane waves. (06)
2𝑚𝑚 2𝑚𝑚

2.4
1 +∞ 𝑝𝑝 1 +∞ 1 +∞ 𝑝𝑝 𝑝𝑝
𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡) = ∫ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝜓𝜓�(𝑝𝑝, 𝑡𝑡) 𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖 ℏ 𝑥𝑥 = √2𝜋𝜋ℏ ∫−∞ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 √2𝜋𝜋ℏ ∫−∞ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑′ 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥′, 𝑡𝑡) 𝑒𝑒 −𝑖𝑖 ℏ 𝑥𝑥′ 𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖 ℏ 𝑥𝑥 =
√2𝜋𝜋ℏ −∞
1 +∞ 𝑝𝑝 ′ 1 +∞ +∞ 1 +∞ 𝑝𝑝 ′
∫ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖 ℏ (𝑥𝑥−𝑥𝑥 ) √2𝜋𝜋ℏ ∫−∞ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑′
√2𝜋𝜋ℏ −∞
𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥′, 𝑡𝑡) = ∫−∞ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑′ 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥′, 𝑡𝑡) ∫ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖 ℏ (𝑥𝑥−𝑥𝑥 )
2𝜋𝜋ℏ −∞
.

1 +∞ 𝑝𝑝 ′
Making use if the Dirac delta function definition ∫ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖 ℏ (𝑥𝑥−𝑥𝑥 )
2𝜋𝜋ℏ −∞
= 𝛿𝛿(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥 ′ ) which be substituted to obtain:

+∞
∫−∞ 𝑑𝑑𝑥𝑥 ′ 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥 ′ , 𝑡𝑡)𝛿𝛿(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥 ′ ) = 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡) for self consistency. (06)

Question 3 [20]

3.1

If the classical particle approaches this step from the left, it gets reflected at 𝑥𝑥 = 0 if its energy is less than the potential
step 𝑉𝑉0 , and it gets transmitted through if its energy is greater than the potential barrier. (04)

3.2
On the region −∞ ≤ 𝑥𝑥 ≤ 0 , the potential 𝑉𝑉(𝑥𝑥) = 0,

the eigenfunction 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) satisfies the differential equation

𝑑𝑑 2 ℏ2 𝑘𝑘 2
𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = −𝑘𝑘 2 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥), with 𝐸𝐸 = .
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2 2𝑚𝑚

The solution representing an incident wave of intensity |𝐴𝐴𝐼𝐼 |2 and reflected wave of intensity |𝐴𝐴𝑅𝑅 |2 is

𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝐴𝐴𝐼𝐼 𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 + 𝐴𝐴𝑅𝑅 𝑒𝑒 −𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 .

On the region 0 ≤ 𝑥𝑥 ≤ 𝑎𝑎, the potential 𝑉𝑉(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑉𝑉0 , when 𝐸𝐸 < 𝑉𝑉0 , The eigenfunctions are described by the equation

𝑑𝑑 2 ℏ2 𝛽𝛽2
𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝛽𝛽 2 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥), with 𝐸𝐸 = − + 𝑉𝑉0 , 5.19
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2 2𝑚𝑚

and the general solution is

𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝐵𝐵𝑒𝑒 −𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽 + 𝐵𝐵′𝑒𝑒 𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽 .

𝑑𝑑 2
On the region 𝑎𝑎 ≤ 𝑥𝑥 ≤ +∞, the potential energy 𝑉𝑉(𝑥𝑥) = 0. The eigenfunctions satisfy the equation 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) =
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2
ℏ2 𝑘𝑘 2
−𝑘𝑘 2 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥), with 𝐸𝐸 = ,
2𝑚𝑚

the solution representing the transmitted wave of intensity |𝐴𝐴 𝑇𝑇 |2 is

𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝐴𝐴 𝑇𝑇 𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 . (08)

3.3
𝑑𝑑
For the 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) and 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥) to be continuous at 𝑥𝑥 = 0,
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

𝐴𝐴𝐼𝐼 + 𝐴𝐴𝑅𝑅 = 𝐵𝐵 + 𝐵𝐵′,

𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝐴𝐴𝐼𝐼 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝐴𝐴𝑅𝑅 = 𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽 − 𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽′,

and at 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑎𝑎
−𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽
𝐵𝐵𝑒𝑒 𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽 + 𝐵𝐵′𝑒𝑒 = 𝐴𝐴 𝑇𝑇 𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 ,
−𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽
𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽𝑒𝑒 𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽 − 𝛽𝛽𝛽𝛽′𝑒𝑒 = 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑇𝑇 𝑒𝑒 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 . (08)

Question 4

4.1 (04)
4.2

* allowed energies form discrete spectrum of specific values.

* the lowest energy will not be 𝐸𝐸 = 0, but some minimum 𝐸𝐸 = 𝐸𝐸0 . (04)

4.3
1
with 𝑉𝑉(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑘𝑘𝑥𝑥 2 the Schrödinger equation for the harmonic oscillator is
2

𝑑𝑑 2 2𝑚𝑚 1
𝜓𝜓 + �𝐸𝐸 − 𝑘𝑘𝑥𝑥 2 � 𝜓𝜓 = 0. …………………..…(1)
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2 ℏ2 2
to simplify the situation we let
1�
√𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 2 2𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋
𝑦𝑦 = � � 𝑥𝑥 = �� � 𝑥𝑥 …………….………...(2)
ℏ ℏ

so that
2𝐸𝐸 𝑚𝑚 2𝐸𝐸
𝛼𝛼 = � 𝑘𝑘 = ℎ𝑣𝑣 …………………………………..(3)
ℏ

through these substitutions we changed from energy and position units to the dimensionlessness.
so in terms of 𝑦𝑦 and α the Schrödinger equation is :
 𝑑𝑑 2
𝜓𝜓 + (𝛼𝛼 − 𝑦𝑦 2 )𝜓𝜓 = 0 ………………………………………………(4)
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2

as with other situations the solutions for the above equation are expectable if 𝜓𝜓 → 0 as 𝑦𝑦 → ∞ (𝑥𝑥 → ∞)
independent of α,
∞
∫−∞|𝜓𝜓|2 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 1.
this condition is satisfied provided
𝛼𝛼 = (2𝑛𝑛 + 1) 𝑛𝑛 = 0,1,2,3, . .. ………………………………(5)
using equation (3) and equation (5) the energy levels of the harmonic oscillator are given by 𝐸𝐸𝑛𝑛 =
1
�𝑛𝑛 + � ℎ𝑣𝑣 𝑛𝑛 = 0,1,2,3, . .. (08)
2

2
𝜇𝜇 4𝜋𝜋2 𝑐𝑐 2 4(3.1416)2 �3×108 �
4.4 from 𝜆𝜆 = 2𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋� , 𝑘𝑘 = 𝜇𝜇 = (4.6 × 10−6 ) = 1908 Nm-1. (04)
𝑘𝑘 𝜆𝜆2 (6.85∙1.66×10−27 )2

Question 5 [20]
ℏ2 𝑑𝑑 2 ℏ2 𝑙𝑙(𝑙𝑙+1)
5.1 − 2 𝑢𝑢(𝑟𝑟) + � + 𝑉𝑉(𝑟𝑟)� 𝑢𝑢(𝑟𝑟) = 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸(𝑟𝑟), the radial equation in terms of 𝑢𝑢(𝑟𝑟). (04)
2𝑚𝑚 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2𝑚𝑚𝑟𝑟 2

𝑢𝑢(𝑟𝑟) is the radial eigenfunction for the hydrogen atom, 𝑚𝑚 is mass of the electron, 𝑙𝑙 is the angular momentum.

5.2

∞ ∞ 1 ℏ2 𝑑𝑑 2 1
〈𝑇𝑇〉 = ∫0 𝜓𝜓(𝑟𝑟)∗ 𝑇𝑇�𝜓𝜓(𝑟𝑟)4𝜋𝜋𝑟𝑟 2 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = ∫0 � 𝑒𝑒 −𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 �− �� 𝑒𝑒 −𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 4𝜋𝜋𝑟𝑟 2 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 =
𝜋𝜋𝑎𝑎3 2𝑚𝑚 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2 𝜋𝜋𝑎𝑎3
ℏ2 1 ∞ ℏ2 1 𝑎𝑎2 ∞ ℏ2
− ∫ 𝑒𝑒 −𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼
2𝑚𝑚 𝜋𝜋𝑎𝑎3 0
𝛼𝛼 2 𝑒𝑒 −𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 4𝜋𝜋𝑟𝑟 2 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = −
2𝑚𝑚 𝜋𝜋𝑎𝑎3 1
∫0 𝑟𝑟 2 𝑒𝑒 −𝛼𝛼𝛼𝛼 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = − 2𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚. (08)

5.3

�𝑙𝑙̂2 , 𝑙𝑙̂𝑥𝑥 � = �𝑙𝑙̂𝑥𝑥2 + 𝑙𝑙̂𝑦𝑦2 + 𝑙𝑙̂𝑧𝑧2 , 𝑙𝑙̂𝑥𝑥 � = �𝑙𝑙̂𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑙𝑙̂𝑥𝑥 � + �𝑙𝑙̂𝑦𝑦2 , 𝑙𝑙̂𝑥𝑥 � + �𝑙𝑙̂𝑧𝑧2 , 𝑙𝑙̂𝑥𝑥 � = 𝑙𝑙̂𝑦𝑦 (−𝑖𝑖ℏ𝑙𝑙̂𝑧𝑧 )- 𝑖𝑖ℏ𝑙𝑙̂𝑧𝑧 𝑙𝑙̂𝑦𝑦 +𝑙𝑙̂𝑧𝑧 �𝑖𝑖ℏ𝑙𝑙̂𝑦𝑦 � + 𝑖𝑖ℏ𝑙𝑙̂𝑦𝑦 𝑙𝑙̂𝑧𝑧 = 0, make use of
commutators properties …! (08)