B.Sc.
Semester V (Honours) Examination, 2021 (CBCS)
Subject: Physics
Paper: CC-XI
(Quantum Mechanics and Applications)
Time: 2 Hours Full Marks: 40
The questions are of equal value. Candidates are required to give their answers in their own
words as far as practicable.
Answer any eight of the following questions 5 × 8 = 40
1. a) If a system has two eigenstates, ψ1 and ψ2 with eigenvalues E1 and E2, under what
condition will the linear combination (c1ψ1 + c2ψ2) be also an eigenstate? (c1 and c2
are constants.)
d
b) Find the eigenfunction of the operator x .
dx
2. a) A one-dimensional wave function is of the following wave form
( x, t ) Aei ( x,t )
Prove that the probability current density may be expressed as
2
J A
m x
b) A particle on the x-axis has the wave function ψ = Ax2 (A = constant) between x =
0 and x = 2. Find the probability that the particle can be found between x = 0.5 and x =
0.6.
3. Using Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle find the first Bohr radius of hydrogen atom
assuming proton to be at rest.
4. a) Show that the momentum operator pˆ x is Hermitian.
b) Show that the commutator Lˆx , yˆ where Lˆ x is the x-component of the angular
momentum operator and ŷ is the y-component of the position operator is equal to i z .
5. a) Show that the Gaussian wave function at t = 0,
e x 2 eikx
1 2 2
( x) is normalized.
14
2
b) Evaluate the expectation value px for the above Gaussian wave function.
(symbols have their usual meaning.)
6. A particle is confined in a one-dimensional potential well defined by
0, 0 x a
Vx
, x 0 and x a
Obtain the energy eigenvalues and the normalized eigenfunction of the system.
7. A source of light is placed between the poles of an electromagnet. What will you
observe if the light is examined by a spectroscope in directions parallel and
perpendicular to the magnetic field? Assume the magnetic field to be not too strong.
Give an explanation of the phenomenon.
8. a) For the atomic states with principal quantum number n = 3, what will be the
maximum number of electrons in the n = 3, l = 2 and l = 1 states?
b) If an atom is in the 3D3 state, calculate the angle between its orbitals ( L ) and spin
angular momentum vector ( S ).
9. a) What are the possible values of the quantum numbers j and mj for a hydrogen atom
in the 2p state?
b) The normalized ground state wave-function of a hydrogen atom is given by
1
100 (r , , ) exp r a0
a03 2
Calculate the average value of (1/r), where r is the radial distance of the electron from
the nucleus and a0 is the radius of innermost Bohr orbit.
10. (a) The ground state of sodium atom is described by 3 2 s1/2 . Explain the meaning of
this notation.
(b) The first line of the Balmer series of hydrogen has a wavelength 656.3 nm.
Calculate the wavelength of the second line.
