Module 2: Simple Solutions of the one-dimensional Schrodinger Equation

2.1 For a free particle, the most general solution of the 1-dimensional Schrodinger equation is
1 i p2
given by x,t a p exp px t dp . Assume
2   2
1 x2 i
x.0 exp exp p0 x . The value of a p is given by

1 2
2 4
2 0
0

1 2
2 4 2
(a) a p 0
2 p p0 0
exp
 2
2

1 2
2 4 2
(b) a p 0
p p0 0
exp
 2
2 2

1 2
2 4 2
(c) a p 0
p p0 0
exp
2
4 2

1 2
2 4 2
(d) a p 0
4 p p0 0
exp
 2
2

[Answer (b)]

1
i
1 4
x2 h
p0 x
2.2 Consider a wave packet given by x, y,0 2
exp 2
e b y
0 2 0

where
1
b y y b2
b
0 y b2

P p y dp y represents the probability of the y-component of the momentum between p y and

py dpy ; it will be given by
 b sin p y b 2
2

(a) dp y
2  p y b 2
2

b sin p y b 
2

(b) dp y
2  pyb 
2

b sin p y b 2
(c) dp y
2  p y b 2
b sin p y b 
(d) dp y
2  pyb 

[Answer (a)]

2.3 For a particle in a one dimensional box, the wave function is given by

3 x
x N sin 0 x L
L
0 x 0 and x L

The normalization constant N is given by:

1
(a) N
L
2
(b) N
L
3
(c) N
L
4
(d) N
L
[Answer (b)]

S
2.4 Find the potential function V x for which the wavefunction is x N exp x
2
(a) V x S x
(b) V x S x
(c) V x 0
(d) V x S

[Answer (a)]
 S
2.5 Consider the wavefunction x N exp x ; x . Calculate the
2
normalization constant N .

S
(a) N
2
S
(b) N
2
2
(c) N
S
2
(d) N
S

[Answer (b)]