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 40 - One-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics - Exercises and Problems - Page 1214: 30

Answer

${\bf 0.135}$

Work Step by Step

The problem deals with finding the probability ratio of a particle in the classically forbidden region beyond a boundary at $ x = L $. The wave function decreases exponentially in this region, and we need to compute the ratio of probabilities at two different positions: $ x = L $ and $ x = L + \eta $, where $ \eta $ is a small distance. The probability of finding a particle in a small interval $ \delta x $ around a position $ x $ is given by $$ \text {Prob(in } \delta x \text { at position } x\text {)} = |\psi(x)|^2 \delta x $$ where $ |\psi(x)|^2 $ is the square of the wave function at $ x $, representing the probability density. The ratio of the probability at $ x = L + \eta $ to the probability at $ x = L $ is: $$ \frac{\text {Prob(in } \delta x \text { at } x = L + \eta)}{\text {Prob(in } \delta x \text { at } x = L)} = \frac{|\psi(L + \eta)|^2 \delta x}{|\psi(L)|^2 \delta x} $$ $$ \frac{\text {Prob(in } \delta x \text { at } x = L + \eta)}{\text {Prob(in } \delta x \text { at } x = L)} = \frac{|\psi(L + \eta)|^2}{|\psi(L)|^2}\tag 1 $$ For $ x \geq L $, the wave function $ \psi(x) $ decreases exponentially which is given by $$ \psi(x) = \psi_{\text {edge}}\;\;e^{-(x - L)/\eta} $$ where $ \psi_{\text {edge}} $ is the wave function at the boundary $ x = L $, and $ \eta $ is the decay length. So, At $ x = L $, the wave function is $$ \psi(L) = \psi_{\text {edge}}\tag 2 $$ and at $ x = L + \eta $, the wave function is $$ \psi(L + \eta) = \psi_{\text {edge}} e^{-1}\tag 3 $$ Plug (2) and (3) into (1); $$ \frac{\text {Prob(in } \delta x \text { at } x = L + \eta)}{\text {Prob(in } \delta x \text { at } x = L)} = \frac{|\psi_{\text {edge}} \;\;e^{-1}|^2}{|\psi_{\text {edge}}|^2} = e^{-2} $$ The value of $ e^{-2} $ is approximately: $$ \frac{\text {Prob(in } \delta x \text { at } x = L + \eta)}{\text {Prob(in } \delta x \text { at } x = L)} =\color{red}{\bf 0.135} $$
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