Solution 1: see page 490 of Bransden & Joachain.

Solution 2:
1
( )
2
b
a
k x dx n t
| |
= +
|
\ .
}
, 0,1, 2, n =
Use k p = , a b = , and
2
2 2
0
4
a
a
a x dx
t
=
}
to find
2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2
2
2 2 2 2
0
2
2
1
( )
2
1
( ) 2 ( ) 2 ( )
2
1 1 1
( ) ( ) 2 ( )
2 2 2
( )
2 2
4
1 2
2 2 2
1
2
b
a
b a
a
p x dx n
p x m E V m E m x
E V a m a p x m m a m x
p x m a x
a
m a x dx m m a x dx m
m a m E
n
m
E n
t
e
e e e
e
t
e e e e
et et
t
e
e
| |
= +
|
\ .
= =
= = =
=
= =
| |
+ = =
|
\ .
| |
= +
|
\ .
}
} }

These are the exact energy levels from a full quantum treatment of this problem!

Solution 3:
(a) First, let us find
0 0
and
0 0
H

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
4 2
* 2 2 4 2 2 4
0 0 0 0
6 3 4 5 2 7 9
8 6 2 4 4 2 6 8 8
9 9 9
2
4 6 4
4 6 4
3 5 7 9
8 12 8 2 630 840 756 360 70 256
2
3 5 7 9 315 315 315 315 315 315
c c
c c
c
c
c
c
x x dx c x dx c c x x dx
c x c x c x x
c c x c x c x x dx c x
c c c

= = = +
= + + = + +
| | | |
= + + = + + =
| |
\ . \ .
} } }
}

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )( )
2 2
2 2
* 2 2 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 2
2
4 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2
2 2 8 6 2 4 4 2 6 8 4 2 2 4 2 2
2 8 2 6 4 4 6
1
2 2
1
12 4
2 2
1
4 6 4 2 12 4
2 2
1
4 6 4
2
c
c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d
H x H x dx c x m x c x dx
m dx
m x c x dx c x x c dx
m
m x c c x c x c x x dx c c x x x c dx
m
m c x c x c x c
e
e
e
e

| |
= = +
|
\ .
=
= + + +
= +
} }
} }
} }
( ) ( )
2
2 8 10 6 2 4 4 2 6
8 3 6 5 4 7 2 9 11 2 7 2 5 4 3
2 6
11 11 11 11 11 2 7 7
2
12 28 20 4
2
1 4 6 4 12 28 20
4
2 3 5 7 9 11 2 7 5 3
1 2 8 12 8 2 24 56 40
2 3 5 7 9 11 2 7 5
c c
c c
c c
c c
x x dx x c x c x c dx
m
c x c x c x c x x x c x c x
m c x
m
c c c c c c c c
m
m
e
e


+ +
| | | |
| | = + + +
| |
\ . \ .
| |
= + + +
|
\ .
} }
7
7
2
2 11 7
2
2 11 7
8
3
1 2310 5544 5940 3080 630 360 1176 1400 840
2 3465 3465 3465 3465 3465 2 105 105 105 105
1 256 256
2 3465 2 105
c
m c c
m
m c c
m
e
e
| |

|
\ .
| | | |
= + + +
| |
\ . \ .
| | | |
=
| |
\ . \ .

Now we find the energy functional and minimize it with respect to the variational parameter c
| |
| |
2 2 2
0 0 2 11 7 9 2
0 2
0 0
2 2
2 2 min
0 3 3
min
4
2 min
1 256 256 256 1 3
2 3465 2 105 315 2 11 2
2 1 2 6 1 6
0
2 11 2 2 11 2
2 1
2 66
H
c
E m c c c m
m m c
c d c
E m m
dc m c m c
c
m

e e

e e
e
( | |
| | | | | | | |
= = + = +
| | |( | |
\ . \ . \ . \ .
\ .
| |
| | | | | |
= =
| | | |
\ . \ . \ .
\ .
| |
=
|
\ .
| |
2 2
4 2
min min 2 2
2
2
min 0
0
66 33
2 2
1 33 3 33 3
22 2 22 33 2 33
3
0.52
11
c c
m m m
m
E m
m m
E
e e
e e e
e
e
e e
= =
| |
| |
= + = +
|
|
|
\ .
\ .
s ~

(b) A suitable trial function for the first excited state should satisfy the property
0 1
0 =
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
4
* * 2 2
0 1 0 1 0 0
0
c
c
x x dx x x x dx x c x dx


= = = =
} } }

Now let us find
1 1
and
1 1
H
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
4
* * 2 2 2 11
1 1 1 1 0 0
256
3465
c
c
x x dx x x x x dx x c x dx c


= = = =
} } }

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 2
2 2
* 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 2
2 2
4 2 2
2 4 2 2 2 2 2 2
2
2
4 2 2
2 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
1
2 2
1
2 2
1
4
2 2
1
2
c
c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d
H x H x dx x c x m x x c x dx
m dx
d
m x c x dx x c x x c x dx
m dx
d
m x c x dx x c x c x x c x dx
m dx
m
e
e
e
e

| |
= = +
|
\ .
( (
=
( (

( (
=
( (

=
} }
} }
} }
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )( )
2
4 2
2 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3
2
2
2 4 4 2 2 4 4 2 2 4 3 2
2
2 4 8 6 2 4 4 2 6 8 4 2 2 4 2 2 4
4 8 8
2
1
2 2 20 12
2 2
1
4 6 4 20 12 2
2 2
1
2
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
x c x dx x c x x c x x c x x dx
m
m x c c x x dx x c c x x x c x dx
m
m x c c x c x c x x dx x c x c c x x dx
m
m
e
e



(
(
+
(

(
= + +

= + + +
=
} }
} }
} }
( ) ( )
2
2 8 4 6 6 4 8 2 10 12 8 2 6 4 4 6 2
8 5 6 7 4 9 2 11 13 2 9 2 7 4 5 6 3
2
2 13
4 6 4 20 52 44 12
2
1 4 6 4 20 52 44 12
2 5 7 9 11 13 2 9 7 5 3
1 2 8 12 8 2
2 5 7 9 11 13
c c
c c
c c
c c
c x c x c x c x x dx x c x c x c x dx
m
c x c x c x c x x x c x c x c x
m
m
m c
e
e
e


+ + +
| | | |
| | = + + +
| |
\ . \ .
| |
= + +
|
\ .
} }
2
9
2
2 13 9
2
2 13 9 2
40 104 88 24
2 9 7 5 3
1 18018 51480 60060 32760 6930 1400 4680 5544 2520
2 45045 45045 45045 45045 45045 2 315 315 315 315
1 768 256 1 256
2 45045 2 315 2 15015
c
m
m c c
m
m c c m
m
e
e e
| |
+
|
\ .
| | | |
= + + +
| |
\ . \ .
| | | | |
= =
| |
\ . \ . \
2
13 9
256
2 315
c c
m
| | |
+
| |
. \ .
Now we can write the energy functional for the first excited state:
| |
| |
2
1 1 2 13 9 11
1
1 1
2 2 2
2 2
1 2 3
4 2
2 2 min min
3
min
1 256 256 256
2 15015 2 315 3465
1 3 11 1 6 22
2 13 2 2 13 2
6 3 1 22
0
2 13 2 13
H
E m c c c
m
c d c
m E m
m c dc m c
c c
m m
m c

e

e e
e e
(
| | | | | |
= = +
| | ( |
\ . \ . \ .

| |
| | | | | |
= + =
| | | |
\ . \ . \ .
\ .
| | |
| |
=
| |
\ .
\ \ .
| |
2
2
4 2
min min 2 2
2
2
min 1 2
2 2
2
0
11
0
143 143
3 3
1 3 143 11 3
2 13 3 2 143
1 3 11 13 1 3 11 1 3 11 3 11 33
2 3 13 2 11 13 2 13 13 13
33
1.59
13
m
c c
m m
m
E m
m m c
E
e e
e
e
e
e e e e e
e e
|
=
|
.
= =
| | | |
= +
| |
| |
\ . \ .

= + = + =

s ~
Solution 4:
Trial function:
2
0
( )
cr
r e |

=
Hamiltonian for atomic hydrogen:
2 2
2
0
2 4
e
H
m r tc
= V
Some definite integrals:
2
0
1
2
ax
e dx
a
t

=
}
,
2
2
0
1
4
ax
x e dx
a a
t

=
}
, and
2
4
2
0
1
8
ax
x e dx
a a
t

=
}

Now lets find
0 0
and
0 0
H
( ) ( )
2
* 3 2 2
0 0 0 0
0
1
4 4
8 2
cr
r r d r r e dr
c c
t
t t

| |
= = =
|
|
\ .
} }

( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 2
* 2 3
0 0 0 0
0
2 2
* 2 3 * 3
0 0 0 0
0
2 4
1
2 4
e
H r r d r
m r
e
r r d r r r d r
m r
| |
tc

tc
| |
= V
|
\ .
| |
( = V
|

\ .
}
} }

In spherical coordinates (ignoring angular terms),
2 2
2
1
r
r r r
c c | |
V =
|
c c
\ .

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )
( )
2 2
2 2 2
2 2 2 2
2
2 2 2 3 0
0 2 2 2
2 4 2 2 2
2
2 2
2 2 3 3
0 0
0
2
2 2 2 2
0
1 1 1
2 2
1
4 6 4 6
1
4 6
2 4
4 4 6
2
cr cr
cr cr cr
cr cr cr cr
cr
r r cre cr e
r r r r r r r
c r e cr e c r c e
r
e
H e c r c e d r e e d r
m r
e
r c r c e dr
m

| |
tc
t

c c c c | |
(
V = = =
|

c c c c
\ .
= =
| |
=
|
\ .
(
=
(

} }
}
2
2 2
2
2
0 0
2 2
2 4 2 2 2
0 0 0
2 2
2
2
0
2
4
4
1
4 4 6
2 4 4
3 1 1
4 4 6
2 32 2 8 2 4 4
3 3
4
2 8 2 4 2
cr
cr cr
re dr
e
c r e dr c r e dr
m c
e
c c
m c c c c c
m c c
t
tc
t
tc
t t
t
tc
t t
t

(
(

(
| |
| |
=
( |
|
\ .
(
\ .


(
| | | |
| |
=
( | | `
|
| |
\ .
(
\ . \ .
)
| |
=
|
|
\ .
}
} }
2 2 2
0 0
1 3 1
4
4 4 2 8 2 4 4
e e
c m c c
t
t
tc tc
( (
| |
| | | |
=
( ( |
| |
|
\ . \ .
( (
\ .


| |
| |
2 2
0 0
0
0 0 0
2 2
2 2
0
0
2 2
0
0
2 2
0 min
2
0 m
3 1 1
4 4
2 8 2 4 4 8 2
3 1
2 8 2 4 4
3 2 2
2 4 1
8 2
3 2
2 4
3 2
0
2 4
2
4
H
e
E
m c c c c
e
m c c
c e c
m
c c
d e
E
dc m c
e
m c
e
c

t t
t t
tc
t
tc
tc t t

tc t
tc t
tc t

( (
| | | |
| |
= =
( ( | | `
|
| |
\ .
( (
\ . \ .
)
| |
| |

|
|
\ .
\ .
= =
=
=
| |
2
in
2 2
min
0
2
min 2
0
2
2 2 2 2
min 0 2 2
0 0 0
2 2 2
2 2 2
2 2 2
0 0 0
2
2
0 2
0
3
2
2 3
4 2
2 2
4 3
3 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 4 3 4 4 3
4 8 4
3 4 4 3 3 4
8
3 2 4
m
e
c
m
e m
c
e m e e m
E
m
m e e m m e
m e
E
tc t
tc t

tc t tc t tc t
t tc tc t t tc
t tc
=
=
=
| |
=
|
|
\ .
| | | | | |
= =
| | |
\ . \ . \ .
| |
s
|
\ .

Compare to exact ground state energy
2
2
0 2
0
2 4
m e
E
tc
| |
=
|
\ .