MATS2001

Physical Properties of Materials

Some Preliminary Aspects of Quantum Physics

14th of March, 2018

Contents
1 Fundamental Accuracy of an Electron 1

2 Kinetic Energy of a Proton 2

3 Electron in an Infinite Potential Well 3

3.1 Energy Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.2 Energy Transition as a Photon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

4 Probability Function in a Potential Well 5

References 6
1 Fundamental Accuracy of an Electron
Given data for the electron:
• Velocity, v = 200 m/s
– accurate to 0.1 % = 0.001
• Mass of electron, m0 = 9.11 × 10−31 kg
• Planck constant, h = 6.625 × 10−34 J s
According to Heisenberg’s principle of uncertainty:

∆p · ∆x ≥ h

where ∆p is the uncertainty in momentum and ∆x is the uncertainty in position.

Deducing that ∆p = m∆v, Heisenberg’s principle of uncertainty can be rewritten
as:

m∆v · ∆x ≥ h

Rearranging for uncertainty in position ∆x (fundamental accuracy):

h
∆x ≥
m∆v

6.625 × 10−34 J s
=
9.11 × 10−31 kg × 200 m/s × 0.001

= 3.636 × 10−3 m

∆x ≥ 3.64 × 10−3 m

Heisenberg’s principle of uncertainty states that the more accurately the momen-
tum (velocity) of a particle is known, the less precisely its position can be deter-
mined, and vice versa. Hence the position of the electron can be located with
minimum fundamental accuracy of 3.64 × 10−3 m. This is very large, considering
the size of an atom is in the magnitude of 10−10 m.

1
2 Kinetic Energy of a Proton
Given data for the proton:
• Charge, e = 1.602 × 10−19 C
• Mass, mp = 1840 × me = 1.675 964 × 10−27 kg
 = 1 × 10−11 m
• Wavelength, λ = 0.1 A
Kinetic energy, Ek , is expressed as:
1
Ek = mv 2
2
where m is mass and v is velocity of a particle/object. According to de Broglie an
subatomic particle may act as both a wave and particle:
h
λ=
mv
where λ is its wavelength. Rearranging and combining the kinetic energy and de
Broglie relationships yield:
 2
1 h
Ek =
2m λ

then substituting the given values:

2
6.625 × 10−34 J s

1
Ek =
2 × 1.676 × 10−27 kg 1 × 10−11 m
 
−18 1 eV
= 1.309 × 10 J×
1.602 × 10−19 J

= 8.173 eV

Ek = 8.2 eV

In electron volts, the kinetic energy of the proton hence is 8.2 eV.

2
3 Electron in an Infinite Potential Well

3.1 Energy Difference

According to the Schrödinger Equation, the total energy, E, of an electron in a

potential well (bound electron) is:

}2 π 2 2
En = n where n = 1, 2, 3 . . .
2ma2
 
h
where n denotes the energy level, } is the reduced Planck constant }= ,
2π
and a is the potential barrier width.
The energy difference between the first and second energy levels (n = 1 and n = 2)
of an electron hence is:
}2 π 2 2 }2 π 2 2
E2 − E1 = 2 − 1
2ma2 2ma2

}2 π 2 2
2 − 12


= 2
2ma

}2 π 2
E2 − E1 = 3
2ma2
and with a potential barrier width of a = 0.01 m:
2
(1.054 × 10−34 J s) π 2
E2 − E1 = 3
2 × 9.11 × 10−31 kg × (0.01 m)2
 
−33 1 eV
= 1.805 × 10 J×
1.602 × 10−19 J

= 1.1268 × 10−14 eV

E2 − E1 = 1.13 × 10−14 eV

This energy difference is extremely low, mainly due to the large width of the
potential barrier.

3
3.2 Energy Transition as a Photon

This energy transition of the electron is emitted as a photon. Since energy is

quantised:
hc
E = hν =
λ
where ν is the frequency and c the speed of light. Substituting E = E2 − E1 and
rearranging to solve for the wavelength λ:
hc
λ=
E2 − E1

6.625 × 10−34 J s × 2.998 × 108 m/s

=
1.805 × 10−33 J

= 1.100 × 108 m = 1.100 × 1018 A


λ = 1.1 × 1018 A

This makes the photon wave emitted an extremely low frequency (ELF) wave,
as its wavelength is in the megameters. This is due to the extremely low energy
difference at which it is generated from.

4
 4 Probability Function in a Potential Well
The probability function ψψ ∗ for an electron in a potential well is:
2 2 nπ
ψψ ∗ = sin x
a a
This is plotted in Figure 1 below for n = 50, a high energy value, as well as n = 1
and n = 3 to provide as comparisons.

n = 50

ψψ ∗

n=3

x n=1

Figure 1: Plots for ψψ ∗ for n = 1, 3 and 50, with variable distance x within the potential
well and with the well’s width being a. The area under each plot equals 1.

As can be see from Figure 1, in the low energy states (n = 1 and 3) the probability
of finding the electron in the well varies greatly from classical mechanics. In
classical mechanics, there would be an equal probability distribution (linear). For
n = 1, ψψ ∗ is largest in the middle and disappears at the boundaries. For n = 3,
ψψ ∗ is largest at 61 a, 21 a and 56 a while disappearing at the boundaries and at 13 a
and 23 a.
As n increases, the wave mechanical values for ψψ ∗ approach the classical mechan-
ics value. This can be seen in the n = 50 plot; the high frequency wave makes it
seem like the probability is evenly distributed in the area between the boundaries.
If the energy increased further, the wavelength would get shorter hence the area
would seem completely filled.

5
References
[1] R. E. Hummel, Electronic Properties of Materials, 4th ed. New York: Springer,
2013.