Instructor

ZAHID UR REHMAN
M.Phil Space Science, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed Science Education

Topic: Wave Function

 Wave Function
“The variable quantity which explains De-Broglie wave is called
Schrodinger wave function or simply wave function. It is
represented by ψ. It is a function of space and time i.e.,
𝜓(r,t) or also expressed as 𝜓(x,y,z,t).
A wave function gives the information about the state of a
system at a certain time.
 State of a System
❖In Classical Mechanics Theory:
“A state of the system is the amount of information which is needed to
predict the future dynamics of the system”.
❖In General Theory:
A state is an equivalence class of preparation procedures where two
procedures/systems are considered equivalent if they differ by irrelevant
details.

ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed

5/21/2023 3
Science Education
 Three basic properties of wave function
𝝍(r,t)

• It can interfere with itself. This property explains electron diffraction.

• Its vales are maximum at points where particle/photon exists and small
elsewhere.
• It describes behavior of a single particle or photon.

ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed

5/21/2023 4
Science Education
 Significance
1. The value of wave function associated with a moving particle gives
probability of finding that particle around / not at, some particular position.
The magnitude of wave function is larger in regions where probability of finding
the particle is larger, and smaller where the probability of finding the particle is
smaller.
2. The probability of a particle to be present at a ∗point at a specific given instant
is equal to probability distribution function 𝜓 𝜓 or square of absolute value of
wave function, which is also called as probability of a particle to be present in
unit volume or probability density at a certain instant.
probability density at a certain instant = 𝜓 2 = 𝜓 𝜓 ∗ ------- (1)
Where
𝜓=𝐴 + 𝐵ⅈ and 𝜓 ∗ = 𝐴 − 𝐵ⅈ

ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed

5/21/2023 5
Science Education
We can write equation (1) as;
𝑃(r,t) = P(x,y,z,y) = 𝜓 2 = 𝜓 𝜓 ∗
If we consider a small volume ⅆ𝑉 defined by coordinates (x, x+ ⅆx), (y, y+ ⅆy),
(z, z+ ⅆz) or (r, r+ ⅆr) then probability of presence of particle within this volume
element is given as;
P(ⅆ𝑉) = 𝜓 𝜓 ∗ ⅆ𝑉= 𝜓 𝜓 ∗ ⅆ𝑥 ⅆ𝑦 ⅆ𝑧 --------- (2)
Probability of finding a particle in a finite volume V is,
P(V)= ‫ ∗ 𝜓 𝜓 𝑉׬‬ⅆ𝑥 ⅆ𝑦 ⅆ𝑧--------- (3)
a) Normalization: If we consider the whole space then probability of finding the
particle becomes unity. It is called normalization. Mathematically it is
expressed with the help of equation (3) as;
+∞ +∞ +∞
‫׬‬−∞ 𝑃(r,t) ⅆ𝑉= ‫׬‬−∞ 𝜓 𝜓 ∗ ⅆ𝑉 =‫׬‬−∞ 𝜓𝜓 ∗ ⅆ𝑥 ⅆ𝑦 ⅆ𝑧 = 1 ------- (4)
This equation shows that particle will certainly exist in space.
ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed
5/21/2023 6
Science Education
b) Integral of equation (4) becomes zero i.e.,
+∞ +∞ +∞
‫׬‬−∞ 𝑃(r,t) ⅆ𝑉=‫׬‬−∞ 𝜓 𝜓 ∗ ⅆ𝑉 𝜓 ∗ ⅆ𝑥 ⅆ𝑦 ⅆ𝑧 = 0, then particle
=‫׬‬−∞ 𝜓
will not exist at all in the region.
c) If this integral becomes infinity i.e.,
+∞ +∞ +∞
‫׬‬−∞ 𝑃(r,t) ⅆ𝑉= ‫׬‬−∞ 𝜓 𝜓 ∗ ⅆ𝑉 𝜓 ∗ ⅆ𝑥 ⅆ𝑦 ⅆ𝑧 = ∞, then particle
=‫׬‬−∞ 𝜓
will be everywhere simultaneously.
3. The function 𝜓 is a solution of the Schrodinger equation
H 𝝍= E 𝝍

ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed

5/21/2023 7
Science Education
 ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed
5/21/2023 8
Science Education
 Feedback and Discussion
• How was the session?
• Any suggestion?
• About your needs?
• Future learning with me?
• When to start?
• About your study plan, documents, pdfs, ppts etc.…?

ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed

5/21/2023 9
Science Education