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The Schroedinger Equation

This document provides an overview of quantum mechanics concepts including: - The Schrodinger equation governs the time evolution of the wavefunction Ψ, which represents a particle's physical state. - Ψ contains statistical information about the particle's position and momentum. Measuring Ψ causes it to "collapse" into a definite state. - Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states the more precisely one knows a particle's position, the less precisely one knows its momentum, and vice versa. - Normalization requires the probability density |Ψ|2 to integrate to 1 over all space, preserving Ψ's statistical interpretation.

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Nurul Izatul
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60 views47 pages

The Schroedinger Equation

This document provides an overview of quantum mechanics concepts including: - The Schrodinger equation governs the time evolution of the wavefunction Ψ, which represents a particle's physical state. - Ψ contains statistical information about the particle's position and momentum. Measuring Ψ causes it to "collapse" into a definite state. - Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states the more precisely one knows a particle's position, the less precisely one knows its momentum, and vice versa. - Normalization requires the probability density |Ψ|2 to integrate to 1 over all space, preserving Ψ's statistical interpretation.

Uploaded by

Nurul Izatul
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as ODP, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 1

The Schroedinger Equation




Classical Mechanics

Classical Mechanics uses Newton laws to


describe the state of motion of a mechanical
system.

Knowledge of initial conditions are necessary


to completely predict the future motion.

orce is the cause of the motion.

!otential is con"eniently used instead of force

#$i"e me the potential% and & will tell you how


the system e"ol"e in time


'a"e function( not particle

&n )M( the physical entity *e.g. particle+ is


represented by the wa"efunction

is governed by the Schroedinger


equation (SE).

Solving the SE for special cases of


various potential U(x), and abstract
physical information from the solution
is the maor obectives of !"# $%&.

Time,e"olution of the wa"efunction

Kinetic energy

!otential energy
#-natomy of the SE%

Time e"olution of the '( i.e.( the ./S( is determined


by the action of 0inetic energy and potential energy
operators on the ' *the 1/S+.

H is 'no(n as the hamiltonian

)iven (*) initial condition (x,%) and ($) the


potential V, the SE completely determines the
time evolution of .
LHS:i

t

RHS:
(


2m

2
x
2
+U
)

H=( K+U)


Statistical &nterpretation
2 the probability density to find a
particle at location x

To be more precise3

probability of finding
the particle between a and b at time t.


(
( x,t )
2
)

(
( x,t )
2
)
dx




&nherent indeterminancy

E"en we 0now e"erything about the wa"e


function and the equation go"erning it( we
still can not predict with certainty the
outcome of a simple e4periment to measure
the position. )M only offers statistical
information about the possible results.


' collapse

'a"e function collapse due to a


measurement act.

Two distinct 0inds of physical entity3 that


before and after a measurement.


)uantum 5eno effect

!article before measurement is go"erned by SE( and


the wa"efunction is e"ol"ing in time. This state has
inherent indeterminancy.

6nce it is measured( the system is forced into a


definite state and stop e"ol"ing in time( and will stay in
the measured state( at least right immediately the '
collapses.

The system is completely determined and loss the


indeterminancy( at least temporarily after the
measurement.

&f the measurement process is persistently carried out


on the system( it will stay at that last measured state 7
)5E.




/istogram


8iscrete probability

j 2 age; N*j+ number of persons with integer


age j.
N=

N
(
j
)
P( j) =
N( j)
N

P
(
j
)
=

P
(
j
)
=1
j =

j P
(
j
)
j
2
=

j
2
P
(
j
)
f
(
j
)
=

f
(
j
)
P
(
j
)


8iscrete probability

#spread% in the distribution *histrogram+

2
= ( j)
2
;
j=j j
=
2


#Normalised% "ersion of the
histogram

N*j+ "s. j (j) vs. j

(here (j) = N(j)+N

#he histogram (j) vs. j is the normalised


version of histogram N() vs. j

,j = *, interval bet(een t(o successive j

-or discrete distribution, normalisation is


stated as .

(j) is /0-

(
j
)
j=1


$enetic e4pectation "alue in
discrete distribution

&n terms of discrete !8(


Q=

(
j
)
Q
(
j
)
j


Continuous "ariable

&f j is a continuous "ariable x,

( x)dx=1
(x)=
N ( x)

N(x)dx
=
N (x)
N

Example

This example illustrates the application of


PDF.

Suppose I drop a rock off a cliff of height h.


As it falls. I snap a million photographs, at
random intervals. n each picture I
measure the distance the rock has fallen.
!uestion" #hat is the average of all these
distances$ That is to sa%, &hat is the time
average of the distance traveled$


Calculate (x)
P 2 ,t9T: ,x width of the snapshot: -
particle falling through ,x will be
captured at a probability P.
8eri"e 1(x) using classical
mechanics( and from there you can
determine ;x<
x at time t
x==
/its ground x2h when t2T=*>h9g+


Calculate (x)
?y definition( P 2 (x),x
Equate P 2 ,t9T= (x),x
rom Newton@s law(
x2 *19>+gt
>
: t2 (>x9g+: dx 2 gt dt
2n the limit ,t334%,
P 5 dt+T=(dx/gt)+*>h9g+ 2 (x)dx
(x) 5 (*+$)(hx+
x at time t
x==
/its ground x2h when t2T=*>h9g+


(x) 5 (*+$)(hx+


'hat@s the point of the e4ampleA

Knowing the !8 of a system allows you to


abstract a"eraged dynamical information from
it.


Square,integrable


Normalisation
Normalisation condition is preser"ed in all time t.
&f the ' is normalised at t2=( it is normalised for the
rest of the time.


Normalisation is time,independent.
!roo"e it.
.


E4ample
*d+ 'hat is the probability of finding the particle to the left of aA
Chec0 your result in the limiting cases b 2 a and b 2 >a.

*e+ 'hat is the e4pectation "alue of xA




Measuring momentum

Calculate the e4pectation "alue of the


momentum of a particle described by
p =m
d x
dt


6bser"ables are represented as
operators in )M


-4iom3 or any generic dynamical
obser"able
E4ample3


1,8 'a"e

- wa"e well defined in wa"elength *6B 1+


is ill,defined in location *Cx 1+( and "ice
"ersa.




de ?roglie postulate

The wa"elength of is related to the


momentum of the particle by the de ?roglie
formula


/eisenbergDs uncertainty principle


Simulation of wa"e pac0et using
Mathematica
http399www>.fiEi0.usm.my9tlyoon9teaching95
CT>=FG111>9wa"e.nb
*i+ adding many wa"es of different wa"elength results in a
wa"e pac0et(
*ii+ the wa"e pac0etDs #spread% in x *the #width% of the wa"e
pac0et+ is in"ersely proportional to the #spread% in wa"e
number *Hk 2 N
k
H+ of the wa"es that are used to form the
wa"e pac0et.


E4ample

- particle of mass m is in the state

where A and a are positi"e real constants.

*a+ ind A.

*b+ or what potential energy function V *4+ does


satisfy the Schroedinger equationA

*c+ Calculate the e4pectation "alues of x( x


>
( p and
p
>
.

*d+ ind
x
and
p
. &s their product consistent with
the uncertainty principleA


/int


*a+ ind A

Ise normalisation condition. Cast the


integral into the form of erf*x+

2
=
*
=
(
A exp
[
a
(
mx
2

)
+ iht
]
)
*

(
Aexp
[
a
(
mx
2

)
+ iht
]
)
= A
2
exp
[
2a
(
mx
2

)
]

A
2
exp
[

(
2am

)
x
2
]
dx=1

A
2
exp
[

(
2am

)
x
2
]
dx=2A
2

exp(y
2
)dx
y
2
=
2ma

x
2
, y=

2ma

x , dy=

2ma

dx
2A
2

2ma

exp(y
2
)dy=
2A
2

2ma

2
=1
A=
(
ma

)
1
4

*b+ or what potential energy function V *4+ does


satisfy the Schroedinger equationA




Chec0 it yourself to "erify that( indeed( the solutions you
obtain do obey /eisenberg@s Incertainty !rinciple(


A
2
exp
[
2a
(
mx
2

)
]


Tutorial to submit online
!lease scan your hand,written answer and
submit the solution to these tutorial questions
online to E,learning


!ro"e this3

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