Solution To Set -7

March 21, 2022

1 soln.

In Q.M. the group velocity is dened by

dω
vgr = (1)
dk
as opposed to phase velocity
ω
vph = (2)
k
From the Planck's & de Broglie's relation in Q.M. we have
E = ~ω (3)
&
h
p= (4)
λ
connecting these two with equation number (1) we have vgr = dE dp , which can be shown to be equal to particle
velocity for a variety of dispersive cases. On the other hand the phase veolocity become vph = Ep = mc 1
mv > c which
2

makes no sense in quantum mechanics.

2 soln.

Applying the derivative above we have & using the given dispersion relation,
 
p2
dE d 2m p
vgr = = = = vpart. (5)
dp dp m
q.e.d.

3 soln.

Using the given dispersion relation & taking derivative both sides
2EdE = 2c2 pdp (6)
dE pc2 pc2
vgr = = = =c (7)
dp E pc
2 which is again the velocity of the photon.
1 here the mass in the numerator/denominator is not the rest mass
2 Here the photon energy momemtum relation has been used E = pc

1
4 soln.

The concept of derivative of any measurable quantity w.r.t. time can not be dened in quantum mechanics. As
time is a parameter & hence may not be a continuous & monotonically (in a direction) varying quantity. Hence,
a quantity which has a denite value at one instant may not have a denite value on other instants. To reconcile
with this fact, the expectation value of the time derivative of a measurable quantitity is equated with the time
derivative of the mean value of that measurable quantity. Mathematically, if A is any measurable quantity and Â
is the corresponding operator then * +
d d D E
= Â (8)
dt dt
This is Ehrenfest theorem. We shall examine two particular case of it.

4.1 hpx i = m dtd hxi

ˆ
hxi = ψ ∗ xψd τ (9)
τ
So,
ˆ ˆ ˆ *0 ˆ
∂ψ ∗
ˆ  
d d ∂ ∗ ∂x  ∂ψ
hxi = ∗
ψ xψd τ = ∗
(ψ xψ) d τ = xψd τ + ψ ψd τ + ψ ∗ x
 dτ (10)
dt dt τ τ ∂t τ ∂t τ ∂t τ ∂t
ˆ ˆ 
d ∂ψ ∗ ∂ψ
hxi = xψd τ + ψ ∗ x dτ (11)
dt τ ∂t τ ∂t
from Schroedinger equation we know that
∂ψ ~2 ∂ 2 ψ
i~ =− +Vψ
∂t 2m ∂x2
&
∂ψ ∗ ~2 ∂ 2 ψ ∗
−i~ =− + V ψ∗
∂t 2m ∂x2
Plugging back these two time derivatives, in (11), we get
ˆ  ˆ
~2 ∂ 2 ψ ∗ ~2 ∂ 2 ψ
  
d 1 1
hxi = − − ∗
+ V ψ xψd τ + ∗
ψ x − + V ψ dτ (12)
dt i~ τ 2m ∂x2 i~ τ 2m ∂x2
ˆ  ˆ
~2 ∂ 2 ψ ∗ ~2 ∂ 2 ψ
  
d i i
hxi = − + V ψ ∗
xψd τ − ψ ∗
x − + V ψ dτ (13)
dt ~ τ 2m ∂x2 ~ τ 2m ∂x2
ˆ   2 ∗ ˆ
~2 2

i ∂ ψ ∗ ∂ ψ i
− xψ − ψ x xψd τ + [V ψ ∗ xψ − ψ ∗ xV ψ] (14)
~ τ 2m ∂x2 ∂x2 ~ τ
ˆ  ˆ
∂ ∂ψ ∗
   
−i~ ∗ ∂ ∂ψ i
xψ − ψ x xψd τ + [V ψ ∗ xψ − ψ ∗ xV ψ] (15)
2m τ ∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x ~ τ
" +∞ ˆ +∞ # " +∞ ˆ +∞ #
i~ ∂ψ ∗  ∂ ∂ψ ∗ i~ ∗ ∂ψ  ∂ ∗ ∂ψ
(16)

− xψ − (xψ) dx + xψ − (xψ ) dx
2m ∂x −∞ −∞ ∂x ∂x 2m ∂x −∞ −∞ ∂x ∂x
ignoring the surface terms
 ˆ +∞  ˆ +∞
∂ψ ∗
 
i~ ∂ i~ ∂ ∂ψ
− − (xψ) dx + − (xψ ∗ ) dx (17)
2m −∞ ∂x ∂x 2m −∞ ∂x ∂x
ˆ +∞  +∞ ˆ +∞
∂ψ ∗
  ˆ    
i~ ∗ ∂ψ 1 ∂ 1
ψ −ψ dx = ψ −i~ ∗
ψ dx = ∗
ψ p̂ψ dx (18)
2m −∞ ∂x ∂x m −∞ ∂x m −∞
1
hp̂i (19)
m

2
 Figure 1:

∂V  d
4.2 − ∂x = dt
hpx i
Start from the RHS as usual, substitute with Schroedinger equation & integrate parially, ignore the surface term
and prove the above.

5 soln.

none of them are actually a wavefunction, the reasons behind are

• not nite
• not dierentiable

• not nite
• discontinuous & non nite
• discontinuous & non nite

3
Figure 2:

Figure 3:

4
Figure 4:

Figure 5: