SM358 - EXAMINATION 2012

September 25, 2013

(mainly by Je Watkins, with contributions by Carol Bezuidenhout, Philip Hulson, Geraint Roycroft
and Fulvio Tabacco)

PART 1
Question 1(Book 1, Ch. 2)
(a)

The Hamiltonian operator for a free particle of mass

(b)

x-axis

is

free =
H

~
.
2m x2

The energy eigenfunction is

free (x)
H

=
=
=
so

(x) = Aeikx

~2 2
Aeikx
2
2m x

~2
Aik
eikx

2m
x
~2 2 2 ikx

Ai k e
2m
~2 k 2 ikx
Ae
2m
~2 k 2
(x)
2m

=
=

is an eigenfunction of the energy operator

If the energy of the particle were measured in the state

value

(c)

moving along the

free
H

(x),

with eigenvalue

Ek =

~2 k 2
.
2m

we would certainly obtain the

Ek .

The function is not normalizable (for instance, it does not converge to zero as

x ).

Question 2 (Book 1, Ch. 1,5)

(a)

P that a particle in a state described by the normalized

(x, t) is found in the small interval (x x, x + x) (provided that the function
considered constant in that interval) at time t is given by

Born's rule states that the probability

wave function
can be

P = |(x, t)| x
1

or by

x2

|(x, t)| dx

P =
x1

x1

if the function cannot be considered constant between

(b)

x2 (x1 < x2 ).

and

The requested probability is

|(x, 0)| dx

=
a
a

2
2
1
e2x /2a dx
a
a
a
2
2
1

ex /a dx
a a
1
1.494a
a
1.494

0.84

=
=
=
=

x = au:
1

2
2
2
ex /a dx =
eu adu = a

given that, using the substitution

eu du = 1.494a

Question 3 (Book 1, Ch. 4)

(a)

By the overlap rule, the probability of getting the energy

Pi

(b)

We have, given that

i (x)

X
n

at time

an n (x)dx

i (x)n (x)dx

an

an in

=
where

ik

ai

is Kroneker's delta, so that

Pi

which is the coecient rule.

t=0

i (x)(x, 0)dx

{n } is an orthonormal set:

i (x)(x, 0)dx =

Ei

i (x)(x, 0)dx

= |ai |

is:

Question 4 (Book 1, Ch. 7)

(a)

The function and its rst derivative must be continuous at

x = 0,

so the boundary conditions

are:

Aeik1 0 + Beik1 0

= Ceik2 0

A+B =C

and

Aik1 eik1 0 Bik1 eik1 0

(b)

Cik2 eik2 0

AB =

k2
C
k1

Adding the two equations above we get


2A =

k2
1+
k1

while multiplying the rst equation by

k2
k1

C=

2k1
A
k1 + k2

and adding we get





k2
k2
1
A 1+
B=0
k1
k1

B=

k1 k2
A
k1 + k2

k1
= 3 is
k2
 2
B 
 
A


 k1 k2 2


 k1 + k2 


 k1 1 2
 k2

 k1

 k + 1
2


 3 1 2


3 + 1
 2
1
 
2

The fraction of the beam which is deected if

=
=
=
=
=
=

1
4

Question 5 (Book 2, Ch. 1)

(a)

(b)

Every observable quantity

is associated with a linear Hermitian operator

.
O

The eigenfunctions are orthogonal and their associated eigenvalues (i.e. the only allowed values
for the operator) are real.

(c)

We have

or, equivalently,
(d)

Bf (x) g(x)dx =
f (x)Bg(x)

D
E D
E
= Bf
|g .
f |Bg

Using Dirac brackets we have, by denition of Hermitian operator

D
E
n
n |B

D
E
n |n
B

hn |bb n i =

hbn n |n i

bb hn |n i = bn hn |n i

or, alternatively

n (x)
B

= bn

bb

n (x)dx

(bn n ) (x)n (x)dx

bn

n (x)n (x)dx

= bn
and


n (x) dx
n (x) B

n (x) (bn n (x)) dx

n (x)n (x)dx

= bn

= bn
and by (c)

bn

Bf (x) g(x)dx =

so

bn = bn

and therefore

bn is

f (x)Bg(x)
= bn

real.

Question 6 (Book 2, Ch. 3)

(a)

We have

Sz , Sx

= Sz Sx Sx Sz

 
~ 0
~ 1 0
=
2 0 1 2 1

 
~2
0 1
=

1 0
4


~2
0 1
=
1
0
2

 
~
0 1
= i~ i
2 1 0

 
~
0 i
= i~
2 i 0
= i~Sy
4

1
0
0
1


~ 0

2 1

1
0

1
0

~
2

1
0

0
1

(b)

By the generalized Ehrenfest Theorem:

d hSx i
dt

1 Dh iE
Sx , H
i~
Dh
iE
1
Sx , Sz
i~ Dh
iE

Sx , Sz
i~ D
E

i~Sy
i~ D E
Sy

=
=
=
=

using the result at (a) and the fact that

~
2

D E ~
Sy = .
2

Question 7 (Book 2, Ch. 4)

(a)

The probability amplitude in this case is

= hV 0 V 0 |Ai
1
= (hV 0 V 0 |V V i + hV 0 V 0 |HHi)
2
1
= (hV 0 |V i1 hV 0 |V i2 + hV 0 |Hi1 hV 0 |Hi2 )
2
!
11
1
3 3
+
=
2 2
2 22


1
1 3
=
+
2 4 4
1
=
2

so the required probability is

p = |a| =

(b)

1
2

The probability amplitude now is

= hV V 0 |Ai
1
= (hV V 0 |V V i + hV V 0 |HHi)
2
1
= (hV |V i1 hV 0 |V i2 + hV |Hi1 hV 0 |Hi2 )
2
!
1
1
3
=
1 +0
2
2
2
1

=
2 2
5

so the required probability is

p = |a| =

1
8

Question 8 (Book 2, Ch. 7)

(a)

Realism and locality.

(b)

Always satised.

(c)

Satised for some angular settings of the detectors but not for others.

(d)

The eavesdropper needs to measure the polarity of the photons she intercepts, but the measure
will destroy them; hence, she will have to send Bob a replacement photons which, however, will
not be entangled with the photons received by Alice. So, the act of eavesdropping destroys
the entanglement and this can be detected by measuring the correlations and using Bell's
inequality.

Question 9 (Book ?, Ch. 1)

(a)

Since the function is expressed in spherical coordinates, the appropriate operator is

so

z Y (, )
L

so

(b)

Y (, )

is an eigenfunction of

z
L

ei

2
A sin i ~ei

~A sin ei

~Y (, )

z = i~ ,
L

A sin i~

with eigenvalue

~.

For normalization we need

A sin ei

=
0

|A|

A sin ei sin dd

ei ei d

sin d
0

4
2
3

|A|

8
2
|A|
3

Without loss of generality we can take

function is

real, so a suitable value for the normalization of the

r
A=

3
3
=
8
2 2

Question 10 (Book 3, Ch. 5)

(a)

The ground state conguration of silicon is

(b)

Since

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p2 .

L = |l1 l2 | , |l1 l2 | + 1, ..., l1 + l2 = 1, 2, 3

= |s1 s2 | , |s1 s2 | + 1, ..., s1 + s2 = 0, 1

S
the allowed pairs are

|1, 0i , |1, 1i , |2, 0i , |2, 1i , |3, 0i , |3, 1i.

Question 11 (Book , Ch. 7)

(a)

The function

(b)

We have

uk (r)

k (r + R)

(c)

uk (r + R) = uk (r).

is periodic in the lattice vectors, so

The electron probability density is

|k |

|k (r + R)|

uk (r + R)eik(r+R)

uk (r + R)eikr eikR

uk (r)eikr eikR

k (r)eikR

so


2


= uk (r + R)eik(r+R) 

2

2
= |uk (r + R)| eik(r+R) 
2

= |uk (r + R)|
2

= |uk (r)|

2
= uk (r)eikr 
= |k (r)|

hence the electron probability density has the periodicity of the lattice.

Question 12 (Book 3, Ch. 8)

(a)

Transitions between states that do not obey the following rules

lf = li 1 AN D

(mf = mi OR mf = mi 1 OR mf = mi + 1)

are forbidden in the electric dipole model and 1st-order perturbation approximation (actually
they may occur, but the probability is very small).

(b)

The energy of a Hydrogen atom depends only on the principal quantum number
transition must be to a state of lower energy, the nal state must have

lf = 0, 1 is possible.

By the selection rule, therefore, lf

mf = 1, 0, 1
state is (2, 1, 1).

of the magnetic number are

mf = 1.
(c)

Hence, the nal

= 1.

If lf

so, if the

for which only

then the possible values

and by the selction rules we must therefore have

The energy of the emitted photon is

E3 E2 =

= 1,

nf = 2,

ER
ER
5
+
=
ER
9
4
36

PART 2
Question 13 (Book 1, Ch. 1-4)
(a)

Substituting:

~2 2
(x) eiEt/~ + V (x)(x)eiEt/~ = i~(x) eiEt/~
2
2m x 
t

~2 2
iEt/~
2 E
+ V (x) (x)e

= i ~ (x)eiEt/~
2m x2
~


2
2
~

+ V (x) (x) = E(x)

2m x2

H(x)
= E(x)

which is the time-independent Schroedinger equation for energy with energy eigenvalue

(b)

The probability density function is

| (x, t)| = (x, t) (x, t) = (x) eiEt/~ (x)e.iEt/~ = (x) (x) = |(x)|
which is independent of

t.

The expectation value for position is, using the sandwich rule

(x) eiEt/~ x(x)eiEt/~ dx

hxi =

|(x)| x dx

which is also independent of time.

(c)

At any other time

the energy eigenfunction is

i
1 h
(x, t) = 1 (x)eiE1 t/~ + 2 (x)eiE2 t/~
2

(d)

By the overlapping rule, remembering that

P (E = E1 )

=
=
=
=
=

1 , 2

are orthonormal functions, we have:


2


 1


1 (x, t)dx
 2


 2
1  iR1 t/~ 
iE1 t/~
iE2 t/~

e
+

e
dx
1
2
2  1

2


1 
i(E2 E1 )t/~

1 dx + e
1 2 dx
2  1


2


1
(x)1 (x)dx
2  1
1
2

which is independent of time.

E.

(e)

We have

hxi =

1 x(x, t)dx

=
=
=
=

 


1
1 eiE1 t/~ + 2 eiE2 t/~ x 1 eiE1 t/~ + 2 eiE2 t/~ dx
2

 

1 
1 eiE1 t/~ + 2 eiE2 t/~ x 1 eiE1 t/~ + 2 eiE2 t/~ dx
2





1
2 1 dx
1 2 xdx + ei(E2 E1 )t/~
2 2 xdx + ei(E2 E1 )t/~
1 1 xdx +
2

i
1h
I1 + I2 + ei(E2 E1 )t/~ I3 + ei(E2 E1 )t/~ I4
2

where

I1

1 1 xdx

I2

2 2 xdx

I3 = I4

1 2 xdx

Now,

1 x is odd and therefore 1 1 x is odd; similarly, 2 is odd, so 2 x is

1 1 x is odd, and integrals on symmetric intervals (as (, )) of odd
hence I1 = I2 = 0, so we are left with

is even, so

even and therefore

functions are zero,

i
1h
0 + 0 + ei(E2 E1 )t/~ I3 + ei(E2 E1 )t/~ I4
2
i
1 h i(E2 E1 )t/~
e
+ ei(E2 E1 )t/~
1 2 xdx
2

1
[cos t i sin t + cos t + i sin t]
1 2 xdx
2

1
2 cos t
1 2 xdx
2

cos t
1 2 xdx

C cos t

hxi =
=
=
=

where

C=

1 2 xdx

and

10

E2 E1
~

Question 14 (Ch. 5-6)

(a)

We have

hpx i =
=
=
=
=
because

(b)

Since

0 , 1

are orthogonal.

AA A A = 1,

we have

 i~ 
 i~ 
 a 

a 
A + A A A A A A + A
2
a 2
a 2
2
i~ h       i
A+A

AA AA
A+A
2
h


i
i~
AA AA + A A A A AA + AA A A A A

2
i
i~ h

2AA + 2A A
2h 
i
i~ AA A A

i~

x
px px x
=
=
=
=

(c)



i~

0 A A 0 dx
a 2



i~
0 A 0 dx

0 A

a 2

i~

0 (0 1 ) dx
a 2

i~

0 1 dx
a 2
0

We have, using the third line above,

=
G

x
px + px x

 
i
i~ h
AA AA + A A A A + AA + AA A A A A
=
2
i
i~ h
=
2AA 2A A
2h
i
= i~ AA A A

hence, in the ground state of the oscillator:

D E

0 dx
0 G



i~
0 AA A A 0 dx



0 A A 0 dx
i~
AA

=
=

i~

i~ 2




0 0 22 dx

0
11

0 2 dx

because

(d)

0 , 2

are orthogonal.

In terms of raising and lowering operators we have

k x
j dx

=
=
Since

{n }


a 
k A + A j dx
2



a
j + A j dx

k A
2



a

k j+1 dx
k j1 dx +
2

is an orthogonal set, unless

k = j1

or

k = j+1

both integrals are zero, so

the transition is forbidden. Hence the only possible transitions where a photon is absorbed
(therefore the energy of the oscillator increases) is where

j+

3
2

increasing its energy of

Ej = j +

~ .

The transition probability for absorption, therefore, is proportional to

j+1 x
j dx

Ij+1,j =

12

1
2

becomes

Ej =

PART 3
Question 15 (Book. 2, Ch. 1-3)
(a)

In the Stern-Gerlach experiment, a silver atom is sent through a non-constant magnetic eld
and the result is that 50% atoms are deviated in the direction of the eld and 50% are deviated
in the opposite direction, thus showing that the atom has a quantized magnetic moment. This
magnetic moment cannot be due to the orbital magnetic properties of the atom (the silver
atom has orbital quantum number

l = 0,

so it has no orbital magnetic moment and, besides,

there is always an odd number of magnetic moments), so the two deviations must be due to
some intrinsic property of the atom.

Since all the orbitals of the atom are full, except the

outer one which contains a single electron, the intrinsic moment is attached to the electron
(and has been called spin magnetic moment). This spin has no classical equivalent.

(b)

The inner products are

1 

2
1 

2
1 

2
1 

hy | z i =
hy | z i =
hy | z i =
hy | z i =

(c)

1
1

1
0

0
1

1
0

0
1

1
=
2

i
=
2

i
=
2

1
=
2

Using the results at (b), we have

c1

=
=
=
=

hy |Ai
3
4i
hy | z i + hy | z i
5
5
4i2
3

5 2 5 2
7

5 2

and

c2

=
=
=
=

(as a check, notice that

The observable
probability

Sy
2

hy |Ai
3
4i
hy | z i + hy | z i
5
5
3i
4i
+
5 2 5 2
i

5 2

|c1 | + |c2 | = 1).

can take the value

~
2

with probability

|c1 | = 41/50.
13

|c1 | = 49/50 or the value

~
2

with

(d)

It pays to write the ket vector as a spinor:

3
4i
|z i + |z i
5  5  
3 1
4i 1
+
5 0
5 0


1 3
5 4i

|Ai =
=
=
so that the required expectation value is

hSy i =
=
=
=
=
=

D
E
A|Sy |A

 

 ~ 0 i 1 3
1
3 4i
5
2 i 0
5 4i




~
4
3 4i
3i
50
~
(12 + 12)
50
24
~
50
12
~
25

Alternatively, and simpler, we can use the standard denition of Statistics:

hSy i =

2
X

pi si

i=1



~
~
2
= |c1 |
+ |c2 |
2
2


49
1 ~
=

50 50 2
12
~
=
25
2

14

Question 16 (Book 2, Ch. 1-3)

(a)

Exchanging the particle labels we have

(x2 , x1 )

=
=
=

1
(A (x2 )B (x1 ) B (x2 )A (x1 ))
2
1
(A (x1 )B (x2 ) B (x1 )A (x2 ))
2
(x1 , x2 )

1
2 fermions, their total wave function (including spin)
must be antisymmetric, therefore the spin part must be symmetric. Hence the possible values
If the two particles are identical spin-

of the spin and spin magnetic quantum numbers in this state are

(b)

S=1

and

MS = 0, 1.

We have

| (x1 , x2 )|

(x1 , x2 ) (x1 , x2 )

2 (x1 , x2 )

2
1
(A (x1 )B (x2 ) B (x1 )A (x2 ))
=
2


1 2
2
2
2
A (x1 )B
(x2 ) + B
(x1 )A
(x2 ) 2A (x1 )B (x1 )A (x2 )B (x2 )
=
2
=

(c)

Since

A , B

are normalized functions we have

Y (xk )Y (xk )dxk = 1

Y2 (xk )dxk =

(Y

= A, B, k = 1, 2) and, remembering that they are also orthogonal:

1 2
2
2
2
A (x1 )B
(x2 ) + B
(x1 )A
(x2 )
(x1 , x2 ) (x1 , x2 ) dx1 dx2 =

2
2A (x1 )B (x1 )A (x2 )B (x2 )) dx1 dx2


1
2
2
=
A (x1 )dx1
B
(x2 )dx2
2

2
2
+
A
(x2 )dx2
B
(x1 )dx1




2
A (x1 )B (x1 )dx1
A (x2 )B (x2 )dx2

1
(1 + 1 0)
=
2
= 1
so

(x1 , x2 )

is correctly normalized.

15

(d)

Given that the probability density is

| (x1 , x2 )|

, the probability of nding both particles in

the right-hand side is

p (x1 > 0, x2 > 0)

2 (x1 , x2 ) dx1 dx2





1
2
2
2
2
=
A (x1 )dx1
B (x2 )dx2 +
A (x2 )dx2
B
(x1 )dx1
2
0
0
0
0



A (x1 )B (x1 )dx1
A (x2 )B (x2 )dx2
2
0
 0

1 11 11
1
=
+
2
2 22 22
2


1 1
1
=

2 2
= 0.091
=

(less than 1%....).

(e)

We have

total (x1 , x2 )
H

so

(x1 , x2 )

1 (x1 , x2 ) + H
2 (x1 , x2 )
= H
1
= H1 (A (x1 )B (x2 ) B (x1 )A (x2 ))
2
1
+ H
2 (A (x1 )B (x2 ) B (x1 )A (x2 ))
2



i
1 h
1 B (x1 ) A (x2 )
=
H1 A (x1 ) B (x2 ) H
2



i
1 h
2 B (x2 ) B (x1 ) H
2 A (x2 )
+ A (x1 ) H
2
1
= [EA A (x1 )B (x2 ) EB B (x1 )A (x2 )]
2
1
+ [A (x1 )EB B (x2 ) B (x1 )EA A (x2 )]
2
1
= (EA + EB ) (A (x1 )B (x2 ) B (x1 )A (x2 ))
2
= (EA + EB ) (x1 , x2 )

is an eigenfunction of

total
H

with eigenvalue

16

EA + EB .

PART 4
Question 17 (Book 3, Ch. 1-4)
L2 = l(l + 1)~2 = 2~2

(a)

We would measure

(b)

Using the given identity, we have

and

Lz = m~ = ~.



e2
~2 1 d
l(l + 1)~2
2 dR
R(r)

r
+
R(r)
2
2
2 r dr
dr
2r
40 r


e2
2r
~2 1
r2
l(l + 1)~2 r/2a0
A
A
2

re

+
rer/2a0 + A
rer/2a0
2
2
2
2 r
a0
4a0
2r
40 r


~2
2r
r2
~2
e2 r

2
+ 2 +

a0
4a0

20
2
2 2
2~ r
~ r
e2 r

2
a0
4a0
20
2
2
e2
~ r
2~

2
a0
4a0
20

and substituting for

a0

ER
ER
=
n2
4

The function

2Er2

2Er2

2Er

2~2 e2
~2 r
e2

2
2
40 ~
4a0
20
2
2
2
e
~ r
e
=

20
4a20
20
~2 r
=
4a20
ER
r
=
2
= 2Er
E=

(c)

so

E=

= AErer/2a0

we get

~2 r
2~2
e2

2
a0
4a0
20

Since

= ER(r)

Y1,1 (, )

ER
4

we can say that in this state

n = 2.

is normalized so we only need to normalize the radial function:


2


r2 Arer/2a0  dr
0

2
= |A|
r4 er/a0 dr

0
2

= |A| 4!a50
=
Taking, without loss of generality,

24a50 |A|

real, one suitable normalization constant is

s
A=

17

1
24a50

(d)

The expectation value in the given state is:

rr2 dr

hri =

=
=
=
=

(e)

We should substitute

a0


2
r3 Arer/2a0 dr
0

1
r5 er/a0 dr
24a50 0
1
5!a6
24a50 0
5a0

in (d) with the scaled Bohr radius

a=
where

=
so, using

H = me ,

H
a0

1840 me 207 me
= 186 me
(1840 + 207) me

we would have

hr i = 186 5a0 = 930a0

18

Question 18 (Book 3, Ch. 3,5)

(a)

We need to nd the value of

that minimizes the energy. Using rst and second derivative

rule we have

dE
da

a4



8a
~2
2
3 + 4 =0
m
a
L
4
L
=
4
L
=
2
=

and

d2 E
da2



~2 dE
8a
2
3+ 4
m da
a
L


2
~
6
8
+ 4
m a4
L

=
=

which is greater than zero in both cases, so the variational estimate of the ground state energy
is



~2 1
4a2
+
m a2
L4
4~2
mL2

=
=

Since we know that the ground state energy is the minimum energy of the sistem, any variational estimate can only yield a value which is larger or (at best) equal to the ground state
energy, so the ground state energy cannot be larger than this estimate.

(b)

The rst order estimate of the ground state of the system is

(0)

(1)

E1 = E1 + E1
where

(0)

E1
and

(1)

=
= H

( 
A x2
0

2 ~2
2mL2
L2
4

for

L
2

<x<

elsewhere

19

L
2

Hence, using the substitution

(1)

E1

u=

x
,
L

we get

D
E
(1) |1
=
1 |H



L2
1 dx
=
1 A x2
4


L/2
 
L2
2
2
2 x
x
cos
dx
= A
L
4
L/2 L
#
"

2A L3 /2 2
L3 /2
2
2
u cos udx
=
cos udx
L 3 /2
4 /2




2A L3 3

L3
=

L 3 24
4
4 2


1
1
= 2AL2
+
12 4 2


1
1
2
= AL
+
6 2 2

and the rst-order perturbation estimate of the ground state energy of the system is

E=

(c)

For a Helium ion, we have

Z=2

~2 2
AL2
2mL2

and, taking

1
1
+ 2
6 2

H = me

as suggested

me 4 1840me
1

= 1.00
H
(4 1840 + 1) me
me
so the ground state energy of a Helium ion is

scaled
ER

Z 2
ER
H
4 1.00 ER

4.0ER

=
=

In the independent particle approximation, therefore, the total energy of the Helium atom is

scaled
E = 2 ER
= 8.0ER = 108.8 eV
since

(d)

ER = 13.6 eV.

The required formula is






e2


1s (r 1 )1s (r 2 )
1s (r 1 )1s (r 2 ) 
40 |r 1 r 2 | 



e2

=
1s
(r 1 )1s
(r 2 )
1s (r 1 )1s (r 2 )dV1 dV2
40 |r 1 r 2 |
V1 V2

e2
1
2
2

=
|1s (r 1 )| |1s
(r 2 )|
dV1 dV2
40 V1 V2
|r 1 r 2 |


20