Exercises and solutions 2

Exercises and solutions

Exercise 1.1
Consider the one-dimensional wave Gaussian wave function in the domain −∞ < x < ∞,
2
ψ(x, t) = N e−λ(x−a) /2 −iωt
e ,
with constants N , a and λ.
(a) Determine N .
(b) Find x , x2 , and ∆x.
(c) Sketch the graph of ρ(x) = |ψ(x)|2 .
Useful integrals (also for later applications) are
∞
2 1π
dx e−px = ,
0 2p
∞
2 (2n − 1)!! π
dx x2n e−px = (for p > 0, n = 1, 3, . . .)
0 2 (2p)n p
∞
2 n!
dx x2n+1 e−px = (for p > 0, n = 0, 1, . . .).
0 2 pn+1
Be aware of the domain of integration. Note that n! = n(n−1) . . . 1 (with 0! = 1), (2n)!! = 2n(2n−2) . . . 2,
(2n − 1)!! = (2n − 1)(2n − 3) . . . 1.

Exercise 1.2
At time t = 0 a one dimensional system is described by the wave function

 Ax/a 0<x<a
φ(x) = A(b − x)/(b − a) a≤x<b
0 otherwise,


with A, a and b constants.

(a) Normalize φ (i.e. find A in terms of a and b).
(b) Sketch φ(x) as a function of x.
(c) What is the probability of finding the system to the left of a? Check your result in the limiting
cases b = a and b = 2a.
(d) What is the expectation value of x?

Exercise 1.3
(a) Show that the spinor  
2
3
|χ1 =  
1
3

is normalized
(b) Find a spinor that is orthogonal to the spinor under (a).
Exercises and solutions 3

Exercise 1.4
Consider the one dimensional wave function in the domain −∞ < x < ∞,

ψ(x, t) = A e−λ|x| e−iωt ,

where A, λ and ω are real, positive constants.

(a) Normalize ψ.
(b) Determine the expectation values of x and x2 .

(c) Find the standard deviation of x. Sketch the graph of |ψ|2 , as a function of x, and mark the points
x + ∆x and x − ∆x. What is the probability that the particle is found outside this range?
Useful integrals (also for later applications) are

dx e−x = −e−x and dx xn e−x = −xn e−x + n dx xn−1 e−x for n ≥ 1,

∞
dx xn e−x = n!
0

Exercise 1.5
Consider the (3-dimensional) spartial wave function of an electron in the groundstate of Hydrogen,
φ000 (r) = N e−r/a0 (we will discuss the quantum numbers, the subscript ’000’ and the scale a0 later).

(a) Show that the normalization is given by N = 1/ π a30 .

(b) What is the probability to find the electron at r < a0 .

(c) What is the probability to find the electron at a0 < r < 2 a0 .

(d) Calculate the expectation values of x, r and r2 , x2 .

(e) Calculate the expectation values of px = −i ∂/∂x, p2x and p2 .

[Hint: Note that ∂r/∂x = x/r.]

Exercise 1.6
Consider the angular momentum operator

∂ ∂
z = −i x −y .
∂y ∂x

(a) Show that z acting on a function depending only on r = x2 + y 2 + z 2 gives zero.

(b) Show that

z
ψ± (r) = N (x ± i y) f (r)
are eigenfunctions of the operator z. What are the eigenvalues?
Exercises and solutions 4

Exercise 2.1
We investigate the situation in which we have two eigenstates φ1 and φ2 of the Hamiltonian with energies
E1 and √
E2 and τ ≡ h/(E1 − E2 ). The expectation values of A are given by A11 = a, A22 = −a and
A12 = a 3. Give ψ(r, t) and determine (plot) the time dependence of A (t) for the case that at t = 0
(a) ψ(r, 0) = φ1 (r).
1
√
(b) Same for ψ(r, 0) = 2 3 φ1 (r) + 12 φ2 (r).
(c) Under (a) and (b) the expectation value of A is considered as a function of time. What are (assuming
no other states than φ1 and φ2 to be relevant) the possible outcomes and corresponding probabilities
of a measurement at time t = 0.

Exercise 2.2
A quite common situation in physics is the appearance of two degenerate configurations with the same
energy (e.g. two mirror molecules), for which there is an interaction term in the hamiltonian that couples
these two configurations. Labeling these two states as |1 and |2 one then has 1|H|1 = 2|H|2 = E0 ,
while 1|H|2 = 2|H|1 = E1 (taken real). Assume the states |1 and |2 to be orthonormal.
(a) Denoting the states as two-component spinors, write H as a 2 × 2 matrix.

(b) Determine the eigenvalues of the hamiltonian, give the eigenstates |φ+ and |φ−

(c) Give the most general time-dependent solution |ψ(t) .

(d) Given that |ψ(0) = |1 , calculate the time t for which |ψ(t) = |2 .

Exercise 2.3
Calculate the density and the flux for

(a) a plane wave φ(x) = A e±ikx in one dimension;

(b) a plane wave, φ(r) = A exp(i k · r) in three dimensions;

(c) a wave function of the kind φ(r) = (x + i y) f (r) (take f (r) real).

Exercise 2.4
Given the Hamiltonian
H = α · pc + mc2 = −i c α · ∇ + mc2 .
in which α is a constant vector. Derive from the Schrödinger equation and the continuity equation what
is the current belonging to the density ρ = ψ ∗ ψ.

Exercise 2.5
Consider in one dimension the coordinate transformation
m1 m2
X≡ x1 + x2 ,
M M
x ≡ x1 − x2 .
Exercises and solutions 5

Show that
d d d
= + ,
dX dx1 dx2
d m2 d m1 d
= − ,
dx M dx1 M dx2
and derive from this the commutation relations for CM and relative position and momentum operators.