Physics 2102B – 2nd Assignment

Your solution to problems 1, 7, 8, and 9 has to be handed in, in class, on Monday,

Mars 3, 2014.

1. Consider several alpha particles approaching a nucleus, with various impact

parameters b , but all with the same total energy E . Prove that an alpha particle that
approaches the nucleus head-on ( b = 0 ) gets closer to the nucleus than any other.

2. (Prob. 18, Ch. 4, in Thornton and Rex.) Calculate the time, according to classical
laws, it would take the electron of a hydrogen atom to radiate its energy and crash into
the nucleus.

[Hint: The radiated power P is given by

2
1 2e2 ⎛ d 2 r ⎞
P= , (2.1)
4πε 0 3c 3 ⎜⎝ dt 2 ⎟⎠

where Q is the charge, c the speed of light, and r the position vector of the electron
from the centre of the atom. Apply the conservation of energy.]

Solution.

The total energy of the atom is (see equation (3.43) in Chap. 3 of the lecture notes)

1 e2
E=− , (2.2)
2 4πε 0 r

and its time derivative

dE 1 e2 dr
= . (2.3)
dt 2 4πε 0 r 2 dt

But by conservation of energy this derivative is equal to minus the radiated power, and
using equation (2.1)

2
1 e2 dr e2 2 ⎛ d 2 r ⎞
= − , (2.4)
2 4πε 0 r 2 dt 4πε 0 3c 3 ⎜⎝ dt 2 ⎟⎠

or

1
 2
dr 4r 2 ⎛ d 2 r ⎞
=− 3⎜ 2⎟ . (2.5)
dt 3c ⎝ dt ⎠

However for a (classical) hydrogen atom, the acceleration d 2 r dt 2 of the electron on its
(circular) orbit is simply the centripetal acceleration due to the electrostatic force

d 2r e2
= − (2.6)
dt 2 4πε 0 mr 2

Inserting this relation into equation (2.5) we find

2
dr ⎛ e2 ⎞ 4
= −⎜ ⎟ , (2.7)
dt ⎝ 4πε 0 ⎠ 3m c r
2 3 2

and

−2
3m 2 c 3 ⎛ e2 ⎞ 0
t=−
4 ⎜⎝ 4πε 0 ⎟⎠ ∫
a0
r 2 dr

−2
m 2 c 3 ⎛ e2 ⎞ 3 0
=− r a (2.8)
4 ⎜⎝ 4πε 0 ⎟⎠ 0

= 1.55 × 10 −11 s.

3. (Prob. 53, Ch. 4, in Thornton and Rex.) The proton

(of mass M ) and the electron (of mass m ) in a
hydrogen atom actually rotate about their common
centre of mass. The distance r = re + rM is still defined
as the electron-nucleus distance (see the figure on the
right). Show that the equation for the radius of Bohr’s
stationary states

4πε 0 n 2  2
rn = , (3.1)
µ e2

for n = 0, 1, 2, … and e the elementary charge, is only modified by substituting m by the

reduced mass

Mm
µ= . (3.2)
M +m

2
[Hint: You can simplify your calculations by setting the centre of mass of the hydrogen
atom to zero.]

Solution.

If we set the centre of mass R = ( re m − rM M ) ( M + m ) to zero ( re and rM are greater

than zero, by definition) we get

m
rM = r
M e
r = re + rM (3.3)
⎛ m⎞
= re ⎜ 1+ ⎟ ,
⎝ M⎠

and

M
re = r
M +m (3.4)
m
rM = r.
M +m

But by Newton’s third law the centrifugal force on the nucleus and electron must be
equal in magnitude (since they counterbalance the electrostatic force, which is the same
for both the electron and the nucleus) and

mve2 Mv 2M
= , (3.5)
re rM

or, from equations (3.4),

vM m
= . (3.6)
ve M

Now the total angular momentum of the system is

L = mve re + Mv M rM
⎛ m ⎞⎛ m ⎞
= mve re + M ⎜ ve ⎟ ⎜ re ⎟ (3.7)
⎝ M ⎠⎝ M ⎠
= mver,

and since from quantization we also have L = n then

3
 n
ve = . (3.8)
mr

We finally equate the centrifugal and electrostatic forces on the electron

e2 mve2
=
4πε 0 r 2 re
2
⎛ n ⎞ ⎛ M + m ⎞
= m⎜ (3.9)
⎝ mr ⎟⎠ ⎜⎝ Mr ⎟⎠
n2 2
= ,
µr 3

or

4πε 0 n 2  2
rn = . (3.10)
µ e2

4. We know that postulating the existence of a de Broglie wave for the orbiting electron
of a hydrogen atom, with the assumption that stationary states are achieved when
conditions leading to standing waves are verified, naturally leads to the quantization of
the orbital angular momentum (as previously postulated by Bohr). Using this quantization
as a starting point, show that the kinetic energy of the hydrogen atom is given by

1
K= nhforb , (4.1)
2

with n = 1, 2, 3, … and forb the orbital frequency of the electron about the nucleus.

Solution.

For a classical (circular) orbit we have for the angular momentum

L = mvr
⎛ v ⎞
= mv ⎜ (4.2)
⎝ 2π forb ⎟⎠
K
= ,
π forb

where K is the kinetic energy. But we also assume that L = n , which implies that

4
 1
K = π forb n = nhforb . (4.3)
2

5. Let us start with the general relation vph = aλ n , with a and n some constants, for the
phase velocity of waves in shallow water. It is found for this kind of waves that the phase
velocity is equal to the group velocity. What is the dependence of the phase velocity on
the wavelength?

Solution.

We start with ω = kvph and calculate

dω
vg =
dk
dvph
= vph + k
dk
dv d λ
= vph + k ph (5.1)
d λ dk
⎛ 2π ⎞
= aλ n + k ( anλ n−1 ) ⎜ − 2 ⎟
⎝ k ⎠
= aλ n (1− n ) .

But since vph = vg we find that n = 0 , and the phase velocity is independent of the
wavelength.

6. (Prob. 54, Ch. 5, in Thornton and Rex.) Consider a wave packet having the product
Δp ⋅ Δx =  at a time t = 0 . What will be the spatial width of such a wave packet after the
time m ( Δx )  ?
2

Solution.

At time t = 0 the uncertainty in velocity is

Δp
Δv0 =
m
(6.1)

= .
mΔx

After a time m ( Δx )  the wave packet will have travelled a distance

2

5
 ⎡ m ( Δx )2 ⎤
x′ ≈ v0 ⎢ ⎥, (6.2)
⎢⎣  ⎥⎦

which implies that it will have accrued a new uncertainty

⎡ m ( Δx )2 ⎤
Δx ′ ≈ Δv0 ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣  ⎥⎦ (6.3)
≈ Δx.

Since uncertainties add quadratically the final spatial width of the wave packet will be

Δxf ≈ ( Δx )2 + ( Δx′ )2 (6.4)

≈ 2Δx.

7. Model the electron of a hydrogen atom as a simple (quantum mechanical) harmonic

oscillator. That is, assume that the electron of mass m is bound to the nucleus through a
spring of constant κ , as it evolves on a circular orbit. Consider the total energy of the
oscillator and use the Heisenberg uncertainty to show that its minimum energy is ω 2 ,
where ω = 2πν with ν the frequency of oscillation.

8. (Prob. 65, Ch. 5, in Thornton and Rex.) Aliens visiting Earth are fascinated by
baseball. They are so advanced that they have learned how to vary ! to make sure that
the pitcher cannot throw a strike with any confidence. Assume that the width of the strike
zone is Δx = 0.38 m , the speed of the baseball is v = 35 m/s , the mass of the baseball is
145 g , and the ball travels a distance of d = 18 m from the pitcher’s hand to the strike
zone. What is the minimum value of ! required to prevent the pitcher from confidently
throwing a strike?

[Hints: There are two uncertainties involved in this problem: for the width of the strike
zone and the transverse momentum of the baseball.]

9. Consider a particle confined in a one-dimensional box of length L . Use the

Heisenberg uncertainty to show that the particle can never have zero kinetic energy.
Determine the minimum level of kinetic energy for the non-relativistic case.

10. Consider a Gaussian wave function at time t = 0 of the form

6
 2
⎛ x ⎞
−⎜
⎝ 2 Δx ⎠⎟
ψ ( x,0 ) = Ae e jk0 x , (10.1)

where A is a constant and the spatial extent of the envelope is set by Δx . Calculate the
Fourier transform ψ ( k ) of equation (10.1) and show that it also has a Gaussian form
with a spectral with Δk = 1 ( 2Δx ) . Is this result consistent with the Heisenberg
inequality?

Solution.

Let us calculate the Fourier transform

1 ∞
ψ (k) = ∫ ψ ( x ) e− jkx dx
2π −∞

2
⎛ x ⎞
1 ∞ −⎜
⎝ 2 Δx ⎟⎠
=
2π ∫−∞
Ae e jk0 x e− jkx dx

⎛ x ⎞
2 (10.2)
A ∞ −⎜
⎝ 2 Δx ⎠⎟ − j( k−k0 ) x
=
2π ∫−∞
e e dx
1 2

A −( Δx⋅k′ )2 ∞ − ( 2 Δx )2 ⎡⎣ x+ j 2( Δx ) k′ ⎤⎦
2

=
2π
e ∫−∞ e dx

where we have defined k ′ = k − k0 . We now make the following change of variable

x′ = x + j2 ( Δx ) Δk and equation (10.2) becomes
2

2
⎛ x′ ⎞
A −( Δx⋅k′ )2 ∞ −⎜⎝ 2 Δx ⎟⎠
ψ (k) = e ∫−∞ e dx ′
2π
A −( Δx⋅k′ )2
= e ⋅ 2Δx π (10.3)
2π
= A 2Δxe−( Δx⋅k′ ) ,
2

where we solved the integral using the result of Problem 1 in the first assignment. If we
define
2
⎛ k′ ⎞
−⎜
⎝ 2 Δk ⎟⎠
ψ ( k ) = Be , (10.4)

then we find Δk = 1 2Δx through a comparison with the last of equations (10.3), which
implies that

7
 1
Δk ⋅ Δx = . (10.5)
2

This is the minimum value allowed by the Heisenberg inequality, and is therefore
consistent with it.