Preparatory notes, questions and ideas

Assignment 10 (ungraded)

Part I: Multiple Choice Questions

1. A beam of electrons that all have the same energy E are traveling through a conducting
wire. At x = 0, the wire becomes a different kind of metal so that the potential energy
of the electrons increases from zero to Uo . If E > Uo , which statement more accurately
describes the transmission and reflection of electrons?

FIG. 1: Figure for Q1.

A. All the electrons are transmitted because they all have E > Uo .
B. Some of the electrons are transmitted and some are reflected because they actually
have a range of energies.
C. Some of the electrons are transmitted and some are reflected because they behave
as waves.
D. All the electrons are reflected because they prefer to be in the region with lower
potential energy.

2. Suppose that the physical situation is the same as in the previous question, but the
electrons are traveling from the right to the left. If E > Uo , which statement most
accurately describes the transmission and reflection of electrons.

A. All the electrons are transmitted because they all have E > Uo .
B. Some of the electrons are transmitted and some are reflected because they actually
have a range of energies.
C. Some of the electrons are transmitted and some are reflected because they behave

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Preparatory notes, questions and ideas

FIG. 2: Figure for Q2.

as waves.
D. All the electrons are transmitted because the potential energy drops, so there is
no reason for them to be reflected.

3. An electron with energy E is traveling through a conducting wire when it encounters

a small gape in the wire of width w. The potential energy of the electron as a function
of position is given by the following plot, where Uo > E . Which of the following
sketches most accurately describes a snapshot of a real part of the wave-function of
this electron.

Part II: Short Questions

4. Write short answers to the following.

(a) Sketch the potential energy profile for an electron inside a metal placed in vacuum,
identify the energy levels of the electron and the work function.

(b) Why is the scanning tunneling microscope often identified as a “surface probe”?

(c) What are the similarities and differences between reflection of light from an air-
glass boundary and the reflection of an electron from a potential step?

Part III: Not So Short Questions

5. The probability of reflection from a potential step is given by (k2 − k1 )2 /(k1 + k2 )2 ,

where the k’s are the wavenumbers in the two regions. If a 5 eV electron encounters
a 2 eV potential step, what is the probability that it will be reflected?

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Preparatory notes, questions and ideas

e-
w
U(x)
E
Uo E
0 w

A Real(ψ(x) ) B Real(ψ(x) ) C Real(ψ(x) )

x x x
0 w 0 w 0 w

D Real(ψ(x) ) E Real(ψ(x) )

x x
0 w 0 w

FIG. 3: Figure for Q3.

6. The probability of transmission of a particle through a potential barrier (when E < V0 )

is,
1
T = µ ¶, (1)
2 k12 +k22
1 + sinh (k2 a) 2k1 k2

where the k’s and a have the usual meanings. The gravitational potential energy
of a 1-kg object is plotted versus position from the earth’s surface to the surface of
Jupiter. Mostly it is due to the sun but there are two downturns at each end, due to the
attraction of the two planets. Make the crude approximation that this is a rectangular
barrier of width 6 × 1011 m and an approximate average height of 4 × 108 J/kg. Your
mass is 65 kg and you launch yourself from earth at an impressive 4 m/s. What is the
probability that you can jump to Jupiter?

7. Residents of Flatworld (a two-dimensional world far away) have it easy. Although

quantum mechanics (of course) applies in their world, the equations they most solve
to understand atomic energy levels involve only two dimensions. In particular, the

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Preparatory notes, questions and ideas

Jupiter's pull
Sun's pull

7 X 108 J/kg
Earth's pull

6 X 1011 m

FIG. 4: Figure for Q6.

Schrodinger equation for the one-electron “flatrogen” atom is,

µ ¶
~2 1 ∂ ∂ ~2 1 ∂ 2
− r ψ(r, φ) − ψ(r, φ) + V (r) ψ(r, φ) = E ψ(r, φ). (2)
2m r ∂r ∂r 2m r2 ∂φ2

(a) Separate variables by trying a solution of the form ψ(r, φ) = R(r)Φ(φ), then
dividing by R(r)Φ(φ). Show that the azimuthal equation can be written as,

d2
Φ(φ) = CΦ(φ), (3)
dφ2

where C is a separation constant.

(b) To be physically acceptable, Φ(φ) must be single-valued. What must be the sign
of C?

(c) Show that a complex exponential is an accetable solution for Φ(φ)?

(d) Find the allowed values of C.

(e) What property is quantized according to the value of C?

(f) Obtain the radial equation.

(g) Given that V (r) = −b/r, show that a function of the form R(r) = e−r/a is a
solution, but only if C is a certain one of its allowed values.

(h) Determine the value of a, and thus find the ground-state energy and wavefunction
of the flatrogen atom.

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