1

QUANTUM PHYSICS: Graduate in Physics.

Course 2024/2025. 1st Semester. Group C

Exercise bulletin 2: The wave function and the Schrödinger equation.

1. A free particle with momentum p~ is described by a plane wave ψ(~r, t) = ei(~p·~r−Et)/h̄ . Demonstrate
that this wave can be described by a function f (~r − ~ut) moving with velocity ~u. Compare ~u with the
velocity of a free particle ~v = p~/m and discuss why they are different.

2. Consider a wave packet given by

Z b
ψ(x, t) = A dk ei(kx−ω(k)t) .
a

Make a first-order series expansion of ω(k) around k0 = (a + b)/2 and calculate the integral. Normalize
the resulting wave function and calculate hxi and hx2 i at t = 0.

3. Let’s consider the wave packet defined as

Z ∞
1
ψ(x, t) = √ dpx φ(px ) ei(px x−E(px )t)/h̄ ,
2πh̄ −∞

with φ(px ) = (1+pN2 /α2 ) . Considering E(px ) = px c, obtain ψ(x, t) and demonstrate that ∆px ∆x ≥ h̄,
x
regardless the value of α.

4. We want to measure the position of an electron in an atom with a diameter of 10−8 cm, with a precision
∆x ' 10−10 cm. Estimate the uncertainty in the energy of the electron and compare the value with
the ionization energy of the hydrogen atom.

5. The velocity of a bullet (m = 50 g) and the velocity of an electron (m = 9.1 × 10−28 g) are equal
(v = 300 m/s) with an uncertainty of 0.01 %. Which is the fundamental limit in the position uncertainty
one can obtain for both systems if position and momentum are measured simultaneously in the same
experiment?

6. The wave function of a free particle can be written as the Fourier transform
Z
~
ψ(~r, t) = d3 k dω Φ(~k, ω) ei(k·~r−ωt) .

Demonstrate that this function can be written as a wave packet

Z
~
ψ(~r, t) = d3 kf (~k) ei(k·~r−ωk t) ,

∂
where ωk = h̄k 2 /2m and m is the mass. (Apply the operator ih̄ ∂t − H).

7. Using the same notation as in the previous exercise

(a) Demonstrate that the wave function for a free particle with mass m can be written as
Z
ψ(~r, t) = d3 r0 K(~r − ~r0 , t − t0 )ψ(~r0 , t0 ),

where
d3 k i(~k·~r−ωk t)
Z
K(~r, t) = e
(2π)3
and ωk = h̄k 2 /2m.
(b) Demonstrate that the kernel K ca be expressed as

2
 m 3/2
K(~r, t) = eimr /(2h̄t)
.
2πih̄t
2
d3 k e−ibk , with b > 0).
R
(Make use of I(b) = lim→0 I(b − i) to calculate the integral I(b) =
2
1
R 3 i~k·~r
8. From the integral form of the Dirac delta function δ(~r) = (2π)3 d ke , demonstrate the conservation
−3/2
R 3
of the scalar product in the Fourier transform Φ(~
p) = (2πh̄) p · ~r/h̄)ψ(~r).
d r exp(−i~
9. Calculate the probability density and the current probability associated to a particle described by a
wave function ψ(x, t) = u(x) ei(kx−ωt) , where u(x) is a real function. Calculate the expectation value
of the momentum assuming that the wave function can be normalized.
10. Calculate the dimensions for the following magnitudes: the wave function of a particle Ψ(~r), the wave
function in the momentum space Φ(~ p), the probability density, and the current probability.
~ are hermitian.
11. Demonstrate that the position and momentum operators ~r and p~ = −ih̄∇
12. If A is an operator and Ψ(~r) a normalized wave function, demonstrate hA − hAii = 0 and (A − hAi)2 =
hA2 i − hAi2 .
13. Any wave function Ψ(~r, t) which is solution of the Schrödinger equation representing the state of
a physical system, the Hamiltonian of which does not depend on time, can be written as a linear
combination of eigenstate wave functions (eigenfunctions) of the energy:
XX
ψ(~r, t) = cE,s ψE,s (~r) e−iEt/h̄ ,
E s

where the eigenfunctions ψE,s (~r) are solutions of the stationary Schrödinger equation HψE,s = EψE,s
verifying hψE 0 ,s0 |ψE,s i = δE 0 ,E δs0 ,s . The set of wave functions is complete (the values of E comprise
all permitted energies, and s will contain all degenerate states associated to a certain eigenenergy E).
(a) Which are the conditions the coefficients cE,s should fullfil to have a normalized wave function
Ψ?
(b) Demonstrate Pthat,
P if Ψ(~r, t) is normalized, the expectation value for the energy is
hEi ≡ hĤi = E s E|cE,s |2 .
(c) Demonstrate that, if Ψ(~r, t) is normalized,
P P the expectation value of the operator of an arbitrary
function of the energy is hf (Ĥ)i = E s f (E)|cE,s |2 .
14. Considere the infinite potential well

0, x ∈ [−L/2, L/2]
V (x) =
∞, x ∈
6 [−L/2, L/2]
with L = 4 fm.
a) Find the bound-state energy values En and their wave functions ψn (x), in increasing order of energy
n = 1, 2, 3, ....
b) Calculate hxi and ∆x for the eigenstate ψn . Calculate the probability that x > L/4 = 1 fm and
explain why it does not depend on n when n is an even number. In which state is this probability
maximum?
c) Calculate hpi and ∆p for the eigenstate ψn . Calculate the product ∆x∆p, and the maximum and
minimum values.
d) Consider the non-stationary state
 
Ψ(x, t) = A ψ1 (x)e−iE1 t/h̄ + ψ2 (x)e−iE2 t/h̄ .

Obtain the normalization constant A, the expectation values hxi, hx2 i, hpi, and hp2 i, and analyze their
time dependence. Calculate the characteristic time τx for the change of the position of the system.
Does E = hHi vary with the time? Find whether the uncertainty principle in energy-time variables is
complied considering the characteristic time for the change of the momentum of the system.
15. Consider the wave function Ψ(x, t) is the superposition of two normalized eigenfunctions
q Ψ1 (x, t) and
p a −(ax)2 /2 2a3 2
Ψ2 (x, t) given by ψ1 (x) = π 1/2
e , with energy E1 = h̄ω/2, and ψ2 (x) = π 1/2
x e−(ax) /2 ,
with energy E2 = 3h̄ω/2, with coefficients 4 and (1 − 2i), respectively, so that
 
Ψ(x, t) = A 4 ψ1 (x)e−iE1 t/h̄ + (1 − 2i) ψ2 (x)e−iE2 t/h̄ .

Which is the result of an energy measurement? Which is the expectation or mean value of the energy?
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16. Using the uncertainty principle, estimate the energy of the ground state of
p2x
(a) a harmonic oscillator (H = 2m + 12 mω 2 x2 ), and
(b) a particle moving in a one-dimension infinite potential well with amplitude −V0 and width a.
17. The wave function describing the state of a particle of mass m in a certain potential V (x) is given by
x2
√ 3
√K
Ψ(x, t) = N x e− 2h̄ Km e−it 2 m .

(a) Find V (x).

(b) Calculate the probability to find the particle in the position space.
π
pm
(c) Where is more probable to find the particle on doing a position measurement at t = 2 K?
(d) Which is the expectation value for the position?
(e) Indicate whether it is an energy eigenstate, a kinetic-energy eigenstate, a potential-energy eigen-
state, or a momentum eigenstate. Which are the expectation values of the energy, and kinetic
and potential energies?
∂
18. Calculate the commutator [xi , pj ], where xi is the position operator and pj = −ih̄ ∂x j
the momentum
operator associated to the coordinates i, j, respectively.
19. Given two observables of a quantum system A and B, in a quantum state Ψ, demonstrate that
1
∆A ∆B ≥ |hψ|[A, B]|ψi| .
2

20. Using the Wronskian theorem, demonstrate that the bound states in a one-dimension potential are
non degenerate and the wave functions can be real save for a global phase.
21. Demonstrate that if ψ1 and ψ2 are real solutions associated to the discrete energies E1 < E2 , then
there is always a node of ψ2 between two nodes of ψ1 . (Calculate the Wronskian W [ψ1 , ψ2 ]).
22. Demonstrate that if |ψi = |ai is an eigenvector of the observable A with eigenvalue a, then after any
measurement of the observable A, one obtains a con zero uncertainty.