Chapter 13: The Schrdinger Equation

Problem numbers in italics indicate that the solution is included in the Students Solutions
Manual.
Questions on Concepts
Q13.1) One source emits spherical waves and another emits plane waves. For which source does the
intensity measured by a detector of fixed size fall off more rapidly with distance? Why?
The intensity of the spherical source falls off more rapidly. The total intensity is the same for all spheres
centered at the source. Larger spheres correspond to larger distances, and for a given detector area, the
fraction of the intensity in the area A is

A
, where r is the radius of the sphere, which is equal to the
4S r 2

distance from the source to the detector. Therefore the measured intensity for the spherical source
decreases as 1/r2. There is no decrease in intensity for the source emitting plane waves. A wellcollimated light source, such as a laser, is an approximation to a plane wave source.
Q13.2) What is the relationship between evaluating an integral and graphing the integrand?

The value of the integral is the area under the graphed function as shown in the figure below

Q13.3) A traveling wave with arbitrary phase I can be written as \ ( x, t )

A sin(kx  Zt  I ) . What are

the units of I ? Show that I could be used to represent a shift in the origin of time or distance.
The units of I are radians. We can rewrite this equation either as \ ( x, t )

\ ( x, t )

I
A sin(k x   Zt ) or
k

I
A sin(kx  Z t  ) . The first of these equations suggests a shift in x, and the second suggests
Z

a shift in t.

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Chapter 13/ The Schrdinger Equation

Q13.4) Why is it true for any quantum mechanical problem that the set of wave functions is larger than

the set of eigenfunctions?

The set of all wave functions must satisfy the boundary conditions as well as satisfy the conditions that
allow us to interpret the square of the magnitude of the wave function in terms of probability. The set of
eigenfunctions must satisfy an additional condition given by the eigenvalue equation. Because some
wave functions wont satisfy the eigenvalue equation, the set of wave functions is larger than the set of
eigenfunctions.
Q13.5) By discussing the diffraction of a beam of particles by a single slit, justify the statement that

there is no sharp boundary between particle-like and wave-like behavior.

For a low energy particle, corresponding to a long wavelength, the diffraction pattern is clearly resolved.
As the energy increases, the wavelength decreases, the diffraction peak moves closer to the central peak
and its intensity decreases. The diffraction peak does not disappear with increasing energy; it simply
becomes difficult to observe.
Q13.6) Redraw Figure 2.2 to show surfaces corresponding to both minimum and maximum values of

the amplitude.
The figure will contain additional wave fronts corresponding to minimum values of the amplitude which
are located midway between wave fronts corresponding to maximum values of the amplitude.
Q13.7) Is it correct to say that because the de Broglie wavelength of a H2 molecule at 300 K is on the

order of atomic dimensions that all properties of H2 are quantized?

No. The system must be treated using quantum mechanics if the characteristic size is comparable to the
wavelength. For a H2 molecule moving in a one liter container, the wavelength is much smaller than the
characteristic dimension of the container. In this case, the translational energy levels are so closely
spaced that they can be described classically. Therefore, the pressure exerted by the H2 molecules on
the walls of the container can be described classically.
Q13.8) Why is it necessary in normalizing the function r exp   r  in spherical coordinates to integrate

over T and I even though it is not a function of T and I "

The wave function is a three dimensional function which has the same value for all values

T and I because r
Q13.9) If \ ( x, t )

x 2  y 2  z 2 . Therefore the integration must be over r, T and I 

A sin(kx  Zt ) describes a wave traveling in the plus x direction, how would you

describe a wave moving in the minus x direction?

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Chapter 13/ The Schrdinger Equation

Consider the nodes in the function \ ( x, t )

x t
2S 
O T
n
2

O 

A sin(kx  Zt ). The wave amplitude is zero for

nS where n is an integer. Solving for x, we obtain the location of the nodes.

t
. We see that x decreases as t increases, showing that the wave is moving in the direction
T

of negative x.
Q13.10) In Figure 13.6 the extent to which the approximate and true functions agree was judged

visually. How could you quantify the quality of the fit?

You could use a function like

f  x   g  x  dx , where f(x) and g(x) are the functions to be

compared, as a quantitative measure of how alike the functions are. The value of the integral goes to
zero as the two functions become identical.
Q13.11) Why does a quantum mechanical system with discrete energy levels behave as if it has a

continuous energy spectrum if the energy difference between energy levels 'E satisfies the relationship
'E  kT ?

If the difference in energy between levels becomes small compared to kT, the levels become smeared
out and overlap. When this happens, the levels can no longer be distinguished, and from the viewpoint
of the observer, the system has a continuous energy spectrum.
Q13.12) Distinguish between the following terms applied to a set of functions: orthogonal and

normalized.
Two functions Ii(x) and Ij(x) are orthogonal if Ii*  x  I j  x  dx
*
i

*
j

I  x  I  x  dx I  x  I  x  dx
i

0 , normalized if

1.

Q13.13) Why can we conclude that the wave function \ ( x, t ) \ ( x)e i ( E = ) t represents a standing

wave?
It represents a standing wave because it can be written as the product of a function that depends only on
time with a function that depends only on the spatial coordinate. Therefore the nodes do not move with
time.
Q13.14) What is the usefulness of a complete set of functions?

If a set of functions Ii  x  is complete, any well behaved function \(x) can be expanded in terms of the

Ii(x), \  x 

b I  x
m m

m 1

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Chapter 13/ The Schrdinger Equation

Q13.15) Can the function sin kx be normalized over the interval f  x  f ? Explain your answer.
f

It cannot be normalized over an infinite interval because

sin

kx dx is infinite. We can show that this is

f

the case by integrating over the interval  L d x d L . The result is

L

sin

kx dx

L

x sin 2kx
2  4k
L

L

sin 2kL
. The value of the integral becomes infinite as L becomes
2k

infinite.

Problems
P13.1) A wave traveling in the z direction is described by the wave function

<(z,t) = A1 x sin(kzZt + I1) + A2 y sin(kzZt + I2), where x and y are vectors of unit length along the x
and y axes, respectively. Because the amplitude is perpendicular to the propagation direction, < ( z , t )
represents a transverse wave.
a) What requirements must A1 and A2 satisfy for a plane polarized wave in the x-z plane? The amplitude
of a plane polarized wave is non-zero only in one plane.
b) What requirements must A1 and A2 satisfy for a plane polarized wave in the y-z plane?
c) What requirements must A1 and A2 and I1 and I 2 satisfy for a plane polarized wave in a plane
oriented at 45 to the xz plane?
d) What requirements must A1 and A2 and I1 and I 2 satisfy for a circularly polarized wave? The phases
of the two components of a circularly polarized wave differ by S/2.
a) The amplitude along the x axis must oscillate, and the amplitude along the y axis must vanish.
Therefore A1 z 0 and A2

0.

b) The amplitude along the y axis must oscillate, and the amplitude along the x axis must vanish.
Therefore A1

0 and A2 z 0.

c) The amplitude along both the x and y axes must oscillate. Therefore A1 z 0 and A2 z 0 . Because
they must oscillate in phase, I1 = I2 .
d) The amplitude along both the x and y axes must oscillate with the same amplitude. Therefore
A1

A2 z 0 . For a circularly polarized wave, the x and y components must be out of phase by S/2.

288