Monday 16 September 2019

quantum mechanics - Free-particle solution to Schrödinger Equation



The free particle solution in stationary state (with definite energy) to the Schrödinger equation is


$$\psi(x,t) =Ae^{i(kx-\omega t)} + Be^{-i(kx+\omega t)}$$


Since the energy is definite, and hence the momentum is definite, the uncertainty in position must be infinite. How is this reflected by the probability distribution function:


$$\Psi = |\psi(x,t)\psi^*(x,t)| $$


The book that I am using just look at the first term of the solution, and derive that the probability distribution function is $A^2$. However, I do not understand why we can do that?


Does it imply that if wave function is made up of n terms such that each individual term has a constant probability distribution function, the whole wave function also has a constant probability distribution function? If so, how can I prove it?


I know my question might be very vague but that is precisely the problem I am facing now, I don't even know how to ask about the things that I don't understand.



Answer



For any function of $x$ and $t$ that depends on the combination $x\pm vt$ (for constant $v$ represents a wave with a fixed shape that travels in the $\mp x$ direction with speed $v$. That is to say, $$ x\pm vt={\rm constant} $$ In your wave function, $$ \psi(x)=Ae^{i(kx-\omega t)}+Be^{-i(kx+\omega t)}\tag{0}, $$ the first term represents a right-moving wave while the second term represents a left-moving wave. Since they differ only by the sign of $k$, we can simplify the wavefunction to $$ \psi(x)=Ae^{i(kx-\omega t)}\tag{1} $$ where $k>0$ means the right-moving wave (the first term of Eq (0) ) and $k<0$ means a left-moving wave (the second term of Eq (0)).


Using Equation (1) and multiplying by its complex conjugate, we get $$ \psi^*\psi(x)=\left(Ae^{-i(kx-\omega t)}\right)\left(Ae^{i(kx-\omega t)}\right)=A^2 $$



No comments:

Post a Comment

Understanding Stagnation point in pitot fluid

What is stagnation point in fluid mechanics. At the open end of the pitot tube the velocity of the fluid becomes zero.But that should result...