10.

For the momentum and total energy to be measured simultaneously, the operators p and

H
must commute. In 1D we have p i
d
dx
= and
2 2
2
( )
2

d
V x
m dx
H + =

. The commutator is
3 2 2
2 2

, ( ) ( )
2
i d d d d d d
p H V x V x
m dx dx dx dx dx dx
i
| |
(
=
| |

|

|
\
\

. The first bracket is zero. If we apply

the second bracket to an arbitrary function ( ) f x we get
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
d d dV
V x f x V x f x f x
dx dx dx
= . Therefore

,
dV
p H i
dx
(
=

. p and

H commute
only if 0
dV
dx
= , ie if ( ) V x is constant.
11. For this question, we make extensive use of the useful integrals.
2
0
2
sin
2
x a
x dx x
a a

| |
= =
|
\

(ie the average position of the particle is the centre of the well)
( )
2 2
2 2 2
2
0
2 3
2
sin
6
a
x
x dx x
a a

| |
= =
|
\

0
2
0
sin sin s
2 2
0 in cos
a a
x
i d i
dx dx
a a dx a
x x x
a
p
a
x
a
| | | | | | | |
= = =
| | | |
\ \ \ \



2 2
3 2 2
0
2 2 2 2
0
2
sin sin sin sin
2 2
x
a a
d
dx dx
a a dx a a a a a
x x x x
p
| | | | | | | |
= = =
| | | |
\ \ \ \



From the lecture notes,
( )
( )
2 2 2
2 2 2

2 A A A A A A A A A

= = = +

.
Using this, we find
2 2
2
1 1
12 2
x a

| |

|
\

= , so 0.18 x a = . We also find

2 2
2
2 x
p
a

=

, so
3.14
x
p
a
=

. This gives 0.57
x
x p = , which is consistent with the uncertainty principle.
12. a) The probability of measuring both
2 2
1 2
2
E
ma

=

and
2
2
2
2
2
4
E
ma

=

is
1
2
.
b) ( ) ( )
2 2 1 1
( , ) ( ) exp / (
1 1
2 2
) exp / x t x iE t x iE t = + with
1
( ) x and
2
( ) x given in
the question, and
1
E and
2
E given above.
c) We want to calculate
0

( , ) ( , )
a
H dx x t H x t

=

. Because
1
( ) x and
2
( ) x are energy
eigenfunctions ( ) ( )
1 2
1 1 2 2

( , ) ( ) exp / ( ) e
2
/
2
xp H x t
E
x iE t x i
E
E t = + . Because
1
( ) x
and
2
( ) x are normalised and orthogonal to each other, the integrals are easy and we find
1 2

2 2
E E
H = + . Note that this is independent of time, and is consistent with the result found in
part a).
d) We want to calculate
0
( , ) ( , )
a
x dx x t x x t

=

. The algebra is messy, but we eventually
find
( )
1 2 2 2
0 0 0
1 1 2 2 2
sin sin cos sin sin
a a a
E E x x x x
x dx x dx x dx x
a a a a a
t
a a
| |
| | | | | | | |
= + +
| | | | |
\ \ \ \
\

.
Using the useful integrals, we find
( )
1 2
2
16
cos
2 9
E E t a a
x

| |
=
|
\

. Note how the average

position of the particle oscillates about the centre of the well (ie / 2 a ), with a frequency
determined by the difference in the energy levels of
1
( ) x and
2
( ) x .
13. a) We want to calculate ( )
0
1 2
sin e (
2
p ) x
a
c k dx
a a
x
ikx

| |
=
|
\

. The useful integrals give

( ) ( )
2 2 2
1 exp
1 2
( )
2
c k
a ik
a
a
k a

= .
b) We find that
( )
2
2
2
2 2 2
cos
2
( )
ka
c
a
k
k
|
|

\
. This is symmetrical about 0 k = , so we are equally
likely to measure positive and negative momenta. This is consistent with 0
x
p = in question
11.
2
( ) c k is strongly peaked for k
a

= . Given that p k = , this is consistent with

2 2
2
2

x
p
a

=

in question 11.
14. From the lecture notes, we know that the width of a Gaussian wavepacket varies with time as
2 2
2
1
2
)
2
(
a m
at
x t + =

. At 0 t = ,
1
1
2
x
a
= = .
a) We need
2 2
2
3
2 2 m a
at
=

, ie
3
t
a
m
=

. Putting in the numbers gives

16
1 3 0 t

s.
b) The second term under the square root in ( ) x t dominates in this case, so
2
a
x
m
t
=

.
Putting in the numbers gives
5
10 6 x m.