LAURIO, CHRISTIAN M. PS 123-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS III DR.

BARRETTO MARCH 28, 2012 LONG EXAM 2 PROBLEM 1 We are given the potential function ( ) { .

The time-independent Schrodinger equation is ( ) ( ) 1. Outside the well, we know that ( ) Inside the well, where ( ) reduces to ( ) We note that we changed the partial derivative into a total derivative since ( ). ( )

since the particle is confined within the interval , the time-independent Schrodinger equation

2. We note that we can rewrite the time-independent Schrodinger equation above as ( ) where .

In this form, it is much easier to notice that the equation resembles the classical simple harmonic oscillator equation. The general solution to which is ( ) Imposing the boundary conditions, we have ( ) ( ( ) ) ( ( ) )

( )

where in the first equation we used following identities:

( ( )

( ) ( )

Solving for the above system by adding and subtracting one from the other, we get ( ( Note that we eliminated the possibility of trivial solution. Then, ) ) and being vanishing since we will be getting a

Hence, we have two solutions depending on the principal quantum number , (i) For odd , we have ( ) (ii) For even , we have ( ) ( ). ( )

Fortunately, normalizing both wave functions give us . Finally, ( ) { ( ) ( )

3. We note that from the previous item,

4. In this item, we are asked to compute for the expectation value of the position and the square of the position and the spread in the position. We note that we are given we use the cosine solution. (i) Expectation value of the position,

and so

( )|

))

)|

Hence, (ii) Expectation value of the square of the position,

( ) ( ))

( )|

Hence,

(iii) The spread in the position, We note that ( ) . Hence, . 5. In this item, we are asked to compute for the expectation value of the momentum and the square of the momentum and the spread in the momentum. We note that we are given and so we use the cosine solution. (i) Expectation value of the momentum,

)) (

))

)) (

))

))

( Hence,

)|

(ii) Expectation value of the square of the momentum,

)) (

))

))

))

Hence,

(iii) Spread of the momentum, We note that ( PROBLEM 2: We are given a particle of mass potential ( ) { . confined in a box of sides and by the ) . Hence, .

The time-independent Schrodinger equation in three-dimensions is given by ( ) ( ( ) ) ( ) ( )

1. We note that inside the box, where equation reduces to (

, the time-independent Schrodinger

2. We note that the equation above is a second-order partial differential equation. We assume that the solution to such is a separable function of ( ) and . That is, ( ) ( ) ( ).

Plugging it in to the time-independent Schrodinger equation above and dividing the whole equation by , we get

We note the transformation from partial derivatives to total derivatives. We argue that since the sum of the three derivatives on the left is equal to a constant, then each of the three must be constant. Letting the separation constants be and , we get

with

).

It must be obvious from here that the three equations above are similar to that we solved in the first problem. Hence, we assume the following solutions: ( ) ( ) ( ) Imposing the boundary conditions, ( ) ( ) ( ) Similarly, ( ) ( ) ( ) Now, to solve for the coefficients ( ( ( ) ) ) and we normalize the functions ( ) ( ) and , so , so , so . .

( ) From a problem solved in class, normalizing a one-dimensional wave function of the same potential function gives us

Finally, the general solution to the time-independent Schrodinger equation is ( ) [( ) ( ) ( )]

)(

)(

3. We note that from above, ( PROBLEM 3: We are asked to consider the following matrices: ( ) ( ) ( ) ) ( )

1. We note that the trace of the matrix , denoted by components of the said matrix. Hence, ( ) ( ) ( ) The determinant of any matrix ( ( ) Hence, ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( ) .

( ), is the sum of the diagonal

), denoted by

( ), is given by

. are

A matrix is invertible if it has a nonzero determinant. Hence, the three matrices all invertible.

The inverse of any

matrix

), denoted by
( )

, is given by

).

Hence, ( ( ( ) ) ) ( ( ( ) ) ). are equal to themselves!! is equal to

It is noteworthy to notice that the inverses of the matrices 2. A matrix the matrix

is said to be Hermitian if its conjugate-transpose, denoted by itself; that is . Considering the matrices ( ( ( ) ) ) ( ( ( ) ) ) :

Hence, the three matrices 3. A matrix Then,

are Hermitian.

is said to be idempotent if its square is equal to the matrix itself; that is

( ( (

)( )( )(

) ) )

( ( (

) ) ) .

Hence, none of the three matrices is idempotent. It is important to note that the all three matrices square to the identity matrix. matrix ( ) same characteristic equation. That is, is given by ( ) 4. The characteristic equation of any

We note that since the three matrices have the same trace and determinant, they share the

Hence, the eigenvalues are and a. For a.1 For ( { Hence, a.2 For ( { Hence, b. For b.1 For ( { Hence, b.2 For ( { Hence, c. For c.1 For ( )( ) and ( ) is an eigenvector corresponding to the eigenvalue . )( ) and ( ) is an eigenvector corresponding to the eigenvalue . )( ) and ( ) is an eigenvector corresponding to the eigenvalue . )( ) and ( ) is an eigenvector corresponding to the eigenvalue . )( ) .

{ Hence, . c.2 For ( { Hence, eigenvalue for any value of . and . and ( ) is an eigenvector corresponding to the )( ) for any value of and ( ) is an eigenvector corresponding to the eigenvalue

5. From the previous number, the eigenvalues are ***These matrices are called the PAULI MATRICES.