UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE

SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL AND MINERAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

DEGREE AND DIPLOMA EXAMINATION MAY/JUNE: 2019

MODULE: SPHA031 PAPER: P

(QUANTUM MECHANICS)

TIME: 3 HOURS MARKS: 100

INTERNAL EXAMINER: PROF TE MOSUANG

SECOND EXAMINER: DR PS NTOAHAE

EXTERNAL EXAMINER: DR SJ MOLOI

(UNISA)

THIS PAPER CONSISTS OF …4…PAGES INCLUDING COVER PAGE

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Answer all the questions.

2. Write neatly and legibly.
3. Useful information is available on the last page.
 SPHA031 MAY/JUNE EXAMINATION 2019

Question 1 [20]

1.1 Describe how a sinusoidal wave due to oscillations and undulations exhibit a Mexican wave.
(05)
𝑘𝑘+Δ𝑘𝑘
1.2 Consider the wave packet represented by 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡) = ∫𝑘𝑘−Δ𝑘𝑘 𝐴𝐴 cos(𝑘𝑘 ′ 𝑥𝑥 − 𝜔𝜔′𝑡𝑡) 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑′, where 𝐴𝐴 is a
constant and assume the dispersion relation 𝜔𝜔′ = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐′, where 𝑐𝑐 is constant. Show that

sin ∆𝑘𝑘[𝑥𝑥−𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐]
𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡) = 2𝐴𝐴Δ𝑘𝑘 cos 𝑘𝑘(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐). (05)
∆𝑘𝑘[𝑥𝑥−𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐]

1.3 Derive the uncertainty principle from de Broglie wave packet whose wave numbers are in the range
𝑘𝑘 − ∆𝑘𝑘 and 𝑘𝑘 + ∆𝑘𝑘. (05)
1.4 Find the energy of an electron whose de Broglie’s wavelength is 1.0 nm. (05)

Question 2 [20]

2.1 Define the position and momentum operators. (04)

2.2 Give the Born interpretation of the wave function. (04)
−𝑖𝑖𝐸𝐸𝑛𝑛 𝑡𝑡/ℏ
2.3 A wave function is given by 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡) = �𝑁𝑁 sin 𝑘𝑘𝑛𝑛 𝑥𝑥𝑒𝑒 0 < 𝑥𝑥 < 𝑎𝑎.
0 elsewhere
Use normalization procedure to obtain the value of 𝑁𝑁. (06)
2 𝑥𝑥⁄
2.4 A wave function is given by 𝜓𝜓(𝑥𝑥, 𝑡𝑡) = � 𝑒𝑒 − 𝑎𝑎 in the region [0 < 𝑥𝑥 < ∞]. Determine the expectation
𝑎𝑎

value of momentum. (06)

Question 3 [20]

3.1 Show that the plane waves are eigenstates of momentum and energy. (05)
3.2 Consider a particle with 𝐸𝐸 < 𝑉𝑉 approaching the potential step from the left. The situation is

illustrated below:

I II V

0 x

3.2.1 Classically describe the trajectory of the particle. (02)

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 SPHA031 MAY/JUNE EXAMINATION 2019

3.2.2 Write down the Schrödinger equation and its solutions for regions I and II.
(04)
3.2.3 Write down 2 equations that connect the wave functions at 𝑥𝑥 = 0 between regions
I and II. (04)
ℏ 1
3.3 The probability current density is defined by 𝚥𝚥⃗ = �𝜓𝜓 ∗ �∇⃗𝜓𝜓 − 𝜓𝜓∇
�⃗𝜓𝜓 ∗ �. Show that 〈𝚥𝚥⃗〉 = 〈𝑝𝑝̂ 〉.
2𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑚𝑚
(05)

Question 4 [20]

4.1 Illustrate how the energy eigenvalues for the quantum harmonic oscillator are arranged. (04)
� ) components equations for the quantum harmonic
4.2 Write down the 3 Hamiltonian operator (𝐻𝐻
oscillator. (06)
4.3 The expectation value of the energy of the harmonic oscillator potential satisfy the inequality
ℏ2 1
〈∆𝐸𝐸〉 ≥ + 𝑚𝑚𝜔𝜔2 (Δ𝑥𝑥)2 . Show that the minimum energy of this potential satisfies
8𝑚𝑚(∆𝑥𝑥)2 2
1
〈𝐸𝐸〉 ≥ ℏ𝜔𝜔. (06)
2

4.4 A diatomic carbon monoxide molecule has a reduced mass of 𝜇𝜇 = 6.85 u. It experiences an
infrared transition of 𝜆𝜆 = 4.6 μm. Calculate the bond strength in the molecule. (04)

Question 5 [20]

̂
5.1 Write down the 3 angular momenta operators (𝑙𝑙⃗) components. (06)
5.2 Write down the eigenvalue of angular momentum operator 𝑙𝑙̂. (02)
5.3 The effective potential experienced by an electron in a hydrogen atom is given by:
𝑙𝑙(𝑙𝑙+1)ℏ2 𝑒𝑒 2
𝑉𝑉𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 (𝑟𝑟) = − .
2𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑒 𝑟𝑟 2 4𝜋𝜋𝜖𝜖0 𝑟𝑟

Sketch the behaviour of 𝑉𝑉𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 (𝑟𝑟) as a function of 𝑟𝑟 for 𝑙𝑙 = 0, 1, 2. (06)

5.4 Mention 3 characteristics of the radial eigenfunction 𝑢𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑟𝑟,𝑙𝑙 (𝑟𝑟) = 𝑁𝑁𝑝𝑝𝑛𝑛𝑟𝑟,𝑙𝑙 (𝑟𝑟)𝑟𝑟 𝑙𝑙+1 𝑒𝑒 −𝑟𝑟/𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑎0 . (06)

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 SPHA031 MAY/JUNE EXAMINATION 2019

Additional information!

Useful integrals Useful equations

∞ 𝒌𝒌!
∫𝟎𝟎 𝒓𝒓𝒌𝒌 𝒆𝒆−𝜶𝜶𝜶𝜶 = 𝜶𝜶𝒌𝒌+𝟏𝟏 𝜆𝜆 =
ℎ𝑐𝑐
, 𝐸𝐸 = ℏ𝜔𝜔, 𝜔𝜔 = � ,
𝑘𝑘
𝜆𝜆 =
ℎ
𝐸𝐸 𝜇𝜇 √2𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
∞ 2 1 𝜋𝜋
∫0 𝑒𝑒 −𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 = 2 �𝑎𝑎,
𝑛𝑛2 𝜋𝜋2 ℏ2 1 𝐸𝐸𝑅𝑅
∞ 2 1 𝜋𝜋 𝐸𝐸𝑛𝑛 = , 𝐸𝐸𝑛𝑛 = (𝑛𝑛 + )ℏ𝜔𝜔, 𝐸𝐸𝑛𝑛 =
∫0 𝑥𝑥 2 𝑒𝑒 −𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = � . 2𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑎02 2 𝑛𝑛2
4𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎
𝐿𝐿 = �𝑙𝑙(𝑙𝑙 + 1)ℏ.
𝑥𝑥 1
∫ sin2 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 2 − 4𝑎𝑎 sin 2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝐶𝐶 , Properties of commutators:
𝑥𝑥 3 1 1 𝑥𝑥
∫ 𝑥𝑥 2 sin2 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 6
− �4𝑎𝑎 − 8𝑎𝑎3 � sin 2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 4𝑎𝑎2 cos 2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝐶𝐶,
sin 𝐴𝐴 + sin 𝐵𝐵 = 2 sin �
𝐴𝐴+𝐵𝐵
� cos �
𝐴𝐴−𝐵𝐵
�, �𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐵𝐵�� = −�𝐵𝐵�, 𝐴𝐴̂�
2 2
𝐴𝐴+𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴−𝐵𝐵
sin 𝐴𝐴 − sin 𝐵𝐵 = 2 cos � � sin � �,
2 2 �𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐵𝐵� + 𝐶𝐶̂ � = �𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐵𝐵�� + �𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐶𝐶̂ �
𝐴𝐴+𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴−𝐵𝐵
cos 𝐴𝐴 + cos 𝐵𝐵 = 2 cos � 2
� cos � 2
�,
cos 𝐴𝐴 − cos 𝐵𝐵 = −2 sin � 2 � sin � 2 �,
𝐴𝐴+𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴−𝐵𝐵 �𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐵𝐵�𝐶𝐶̂ � = �𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐵𝐵��𝐶𝐶̂ + 𝐵𝐵��𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐶𝐶̂ �
sin(𝐴𝐴 ± 𝐵𝐵) = sin 𝐴𝐴 cos 𝐵𝐵 ± cos 𝐴𝐴 sin 𝐵𝐵,
cos(𝐴𝐴 ± 𝐵𝐵) = cos 𝐴𝐴 cos 𝐵𝐵 ∓ sin 𝐴𝐴 sin 𝐵𝐵. �𝐴𝐴̂𝐵𝐵�, 𝐶𝐶̂ � = 𝐴𝐴̂�𝐵𝐵�, 𝐶𝐶̂ � + �𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐶𝐶̂ �𝐵𝐵�

�𝐴𝐴̂, �𝐵𝐵�, 𝐶𝐶̂ �� = �𝐵𝐵�, �𝐶𝐶̂ , 𝐴𝐴̂�� + �𝐶𝐶̂ , �𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐵𝐵��� = 0

Some useful constants

h = 6.62620 x 10-34 J.s = 4.136 x 10-15 eV.s

c = 2.99793 x 108 m/s
g = 9.80665 m/s2
m e = 9.10956 x 10-31 kg = 0.00054858u = 0.511MeV/c2
m p = 1.67261 x 10-27 kg = 1.007276u = 938.27MeV/c2
m n = 1.67492 x 10-27 kg = 1.008665u = 939.57MeV/c2
σ = 5.67 x 10-8 W.m-2.K-4
k B = 1.38062 x 10-23 J/K = 8.617 x 10-5 eV/K
ε 0 = 8.85419 x 10-12 C2/N.m2
R = 1.097 x 107 m-1
a 0 = 5.29 x 10-11 m
e = 1.60219 x 10-19C
N A =6.02217x1023/mol
1u = 1.66 x 10-27 kg = 931.5 MeV
𝑬𝑬𝑹𝑹 = 13.6 eV

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