Physics 711 January 15, 2010

Problem Set 8

Problem 1: Exercise 7.3.1

Plug the power series expansion ψ = ∞ n 00 2
P
n=0 cn y into the equation ψ +(2ε−y )ψ = 0
to get
X∞
cn n(n − 1)y n−2 + (2ε − y 2 )y n = 0.
 
n=0

Shift n → n + 2 in the first term, and n → n − 2 in the third term to get

∞
X
y n [(n + 2)(n + 1)cn+2 + 2εcn − cn−2 ] = 0
n=0

with the convention that

c−2 = c−1 = 0.
This implies
cn−2 2εcn
cn+2 = −
(n + 1)(n + 2) (n + 1)(n + 2)
for all n ≥ 0.

Problem 3: Exercise 7.3.7

In the momentum basis |ψi → ψ(p), P → p, and X → i~(d/dp), so the energy
eigenvalue equation
1 2 mω 2 2
 
P + X |Ei = E|Ei
2m 2
becomes
1 2 mω 2 2 00
p ψ(p) − ~ ψ (p) = Eψ(p).
2m 2
Compare this to the position-basis equation

mω 2 2 1 2 00
x ψ(x) − ~ ψ (x) = Eψ(x).
2 2m
These are the same equations with the substitutions x ↔ p and m ↔ 1/(mω 2 ).
Problem 2: Exercise 7.3.5

Z ∞ Z ∞
hn|X|ni = dx ψn∗ (x)·x·ψn (x) = dx x·ψn2 (x) since ψn (x) is real
−∞ −∞
= 0 since x is odd and ψn2 (x) is even.
Z ∞ Z ∞ Z ∞
d i~
hn|P |ni = dx ψn∗ (x)(−i~) ψn (x) = (−i~) dx ψn ψn0 = − dx (ψn2 )0
−∞ dx −∞ 2 −∞
i~ ∞
= − ψn2 −∞ = 0 since ψn → 0 as |x| → ∞.
2

Z ∞  mω 1/2 Z ∞   mω 1/2 2 2 /~
2
h1|X |1i = dx ψ1∗ x2 ψ1 = dx x 2
2x e−mωx
−∞ 4π~ −∞ ~
√
2  mω 3/2 ∞
Z
2 2 mω 3/2 3 π  mω −5/2

= √ dx x4 e−mωx /~ = √
π ~ −∞ π ~ 4 ~
3~
= .
2mω
Z ∞  mω 3/2 Z ∞ 00
2 2 2
 2
∗ 2 00
2
h1|P |1i = dx ψ1 (−i~) ψ1 = −~ √ dx xe−mωx /2~ xe−mωx /2~
−∞ π ~ −∞
Z ∞
2  mω  3/2  mω  h mω  i 2
= −~2 √ dx x2 x2 − 3 e−mωx /~
π ~ −∞ ~ ~
√ 
2 mω 5/2
  3 π mω −3/2 3mω~
= −~2 √ ·(−1) = .
π ~ 4 ~ 2

r
mω
Z ∞  mω 1/2 √π  mω −3/2 ~
2 2 2 −mωx2 /~
∆X = h0|X |0i = dx x e = = .
π~ −∞ ~ 2 ~ 2mω

mω ∞
r Z  00
2 2
∆P 2 2
= h0|P |0i = −~ 2
dx e−mωx /2~ e−mωx /2~
π~ −∞
~2  mω 3/2 Z ∞  mω  2
= − √ dx x − 1 e−mωx /~
2
π ~ −∞ ~
2
√ 
~  mω 3/2 π mω −1/2 mω~
= −√ ·(−1) = .
π ~ 2 ~ 2
r r
~ mω~ ~
∴ ∆X ∆P = · = .
2mω 2 2