Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 39 - Wave Functions and Uncertainty - Exercises and Problems - Page 1177: 40

Answer

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Work Step by Step

$$\color{blue}{\bf [a]}$$ To normalize the wave function $ \psi(x) $, the total probability of finding the electron must be 1. This means: $$ \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} |\psi(x)|^2 \; dx = 1 $$ Since $ \psi(x) = 0 $ for $ x < 0 $ or $ x > L $, we only need to integrate from $ 0 $ to $ L $. The normalization condition is: $$ \int_{0}^{L} \left|c \sin\left( \frac{2 \pi x}{L} \right)\right|^2 \; dx = 1 $$ $$ c^2 \int_{0}^{L} \sin^2\left( \frac{2 \pi x}{L} \right) \; dx = 1 $$ Using the integral identity for $ \sin^2(\theta) $, where $ \int \sin^2(\theta) \; d\theta = \frac{\theta}{2} - \frac{\sin(2\theta)}{4} $ Thus, $$ c^2 \left[ \frac{x}{2} - \frac{\sin\left( \frac{4 \pi x}{L} \right)}{4 \pi/L} \right]_{0}^{L} $$ Hence, $$ c^2 \cdot \frac{L}{2} = 1 $$ Thus: $$ c^2 = \frac{2}{L} $$ $$ \boxed{c =\color{red}{\sqrt{\frac{2}{L}}}} $$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [b]}$$ The wave function $ \psi(x) $ is given by: $$ \psi(x) = \begin{cases} \sqrt{\frac{2}{L}} \sin\left( \frac{2 \pi x}{L} \right) & \text{for} \; 0 \leq x \leq L \\\\ 0 & x\lt0,\;{\rm or}, x\gt L \end{cases} $$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [c]}$$ The probability density $ |\psi(x)|^2 $ is the square of the wave function: $$ |\psi(x)|^2 = \left[\sqrt{\frac{2}{L}} \sin\left( \frac{2 \pi x}{L} \right) \right]^2 = \frac{2}{L} \sin^2\left( \frac{2 \pi x}{L} \right) $$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [d]}$$ The probability is given by the integral of $ |\psi(x)|^2 $ over the interval $ 0 \leq x \leq L/3 $: $$ P\left( 0 \leq x \leq \frac{L}{3} \right) = \int_{0}^{L/3} |\psi(x)|^2 \; dx $$ Substituting $ |\psi(x)|^2 = \frac{2}{L} \sin^2\left( \frac{2 \pi x}{L} \right) $, $$ P \left( 0 \leq x \leq \frac{L}{3} \right)= \frac{2}{L} \int_{0}^{L/3} \sin^2\left( \frac{2 \pi x}{L} \right) \; dx $$ Using the identity of $ \sin^2(\theta) = \dfrac{1 - \cos(2\theta)}{2}$ $$ P \left( 0 \leq x \leq \frac{L}{3} \right)= \frac{1}{L} \int_{0}^{L/3} \left[ 1 - \cos\left( \frac{4 \pi x}{L} \right) \right] \; dx $$ $$ P \left( 0 \leq x \leq \frac{L}{3} \right)= \frac{1}{L} \left[ x - \frac{L}{4\pi} \sin\left( \frac{4\pi x}{L} \right) \right]_{0}^{L/3} $$ $$ P \left( 0 \leq x \leq \frac{L}{3} \right)= \frac{1}{L} \left[ \frac{L}{3} - \frac{L}{4\pi} \sin\left( \frac{4\pi}{3} \right) \right] $$ $$ P \left( 0 \leq x \leq \frac{L}{3} \right)= \frac{1}{3} - \frac{1}{4\pi} \sin\left( \frac{4\pi}{3} \right) $$ $$ P\left( 0 \leq x \leq \frac{L}{3} \right) = 0.4022=\color{red}{\bf 40.2\%} $$
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