ZAHID UR REHMAN M.Phil Space Science, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed Science Education
Topic: Wave Function & Operators
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 𝑉ⅆ𝑥 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 Differential Operators • Operators are mathematical tools that operate on a function and change it into another function. • Division, multiplication, addition, subtraction, and square root all are operators in Classical Mechanics. ∂ መ • Similarly, 𝐴 is a differential operator which stands for . Thus ∂𝑥 𝜕𝜓 መ 𝐴 𝜓(x,t) = 𝜕𝑥 Example: 𝜕 መ 𝐴𝑥 = (𝑥 2 )= 2x(1)= 2x 2 𝜕𝑥
ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed
5/21/2023 8 Science Education Most important operators used in Quantum Mechanics 𝜕 𝜕 𝜕 1. ∇= 𝑖Ƹ + 𝑗+ Ƹ 𝑘 ∂𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕 2 𝜕 2 𝜕2 2 2. ∇ = 2 + 2+ 2 ∂𝑥 𝜕y 𝜕z ℎ 3. linear momentum operator= 𝑃= −ⅈ ∇ 2𝜋 4. Potential energy operator= U(r,t) ℎ 𝜕 5. Total energy operator= 𝐸= ⅈ 2𝜋 𝜕𝑡 h2 6. Hamiltonian operator= H= - 2 ∇2 + U 4𝜋 𝑚 2 h h2 𝜕2 𝜕2 𝜕2 7. Kinetic energy operator= 𝑇 = - 2 ∇ = - 2 ( 2 2 + 2 + 2) 4𝜋 𝑚 4𝜋 𝑚 𝜕𝑥 𝜕y 𝜕z
ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed
5/21/2023 9 Science Education ZAHID UR REHMAN, M.Phil Space Sciencs, M.Sc Physics, B.Ed 5/21/2023 10 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