Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.

9 Page 1 of 4

Problem 1.9
A particle of mass m has the wave function
2 /~)+it]
Ψ(x, t) = Ae−a[(mx ,

where A and a are positive real constants.

(a) Find A.

(b) For what potential energy function, V (x), is this a solution to the Schrödinger equation?

(c) Calculate the expectation values of x, x2 , p, and p2 .

(d) Find σx and σp . Is their product consistent with the uncertainty principle?

Solution

Part (a)

Normalize the wave equation by requiring the integral of |Ψ(x, t)|2 over all x to be 1. Use the
gaussian integral inside the back cover to evaluate the integral.
ˆ ∞
1= |Ψ(x, t)|2 dx
ˆ−∞∞
= Ψ(x, t)Ψ∗ (x, t) dx
−∞
ˆ ∞
2 2
= {Ae−a[(mx /~)+it] }{Ae−a[(mx /~)−it] } dx
−∞
ˆ ∞
2
=A 2
e−2amx /~ dx
−∞
ˆ∞ h√ i2
2 −x2 / ~/(2am)
=A e dx
−∞
ˆ ∞ h√ i2
−x2 / ~/(2am)
= 2A2 e dx
0
q 
~
√ 2am
= 2A2 · π 
2
r
π~
= A2
2am
Solve for A. r
4 2am
A=
π~
Therefore, the normalized wave function is
r
4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)+it]
Ψ(x, t) = e .
π~

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.9 Page 2 of 4

Part (b)

The governing equation for the wave function is the Schrödinger equation.

∂Ψ i~ ∂ 2 Ψ i
= 2
− V (x, t)Ψ(x, t) (1)
∂t 2m ∂x ~
Solve for V (x, t), substitute the wave function, and then simplify.

i~ ∂ 2 Ψ ∂Ψ
 
~ 1
V (x, t) = −
i Ψ(x, t) 2m ∂x2 ∂t
r " r r #
~ 4 π~ a[(mx2 /~)+it] i~ 4 2am ∂ 2  −a[(mx2 /~)+it]  4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)+it]
= e · e − e (−ia)
i 2am 2m π~ ∂x2 π~
~ ∂ 2  −a[(mx2 /~)+it] 
 
a[(mx2 /~)+it] −a[(mx2 /~)+it]
= ~e e + ae
2m ∂x2
   
a[(mx2 /~)+it] ~ ∂ 2am −a[(mx2 /~)+it] −a[(mx2 /~)+it]
= ~e − xe + ae
2m ∂x ~
     
a[(mx2 /~)+it] ~ 2am 2am 2 −a[(mx2 /~)+it] −a[(mx2 /~)+it]
= ~e − 1− x e + ae
2m ~ ~
   
2am 2
=~ a x −1 +a
~
= 2ma2 x2

Part (c)

According to Born’s interpretation, |Ψ(x, t)|2 represents the probability distribution for the
particle’s position at time t. Use it to calculate the expectation value of x.
ˆ ∞ ˆ ∞
x|Ψ(x, t)|2 dx x|Ψ(x, t)|2 dx ˆ ∞
hxi = ˆ−∞ ∞ = −∞ = x|Ψ(x, t)|2 dx
1
|Ψ(x, t)|2 dx −∞
−∞
ˆ ∞
= xΨ(x, t)Ψ∗ (x, t) dx
−∞
ˆ ∞ "r # "r #
4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)+it] 4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)−it]
= x e e dx
−∞ π~ π~
ˆ
2am ∞ −2amx2 /~
r
= xe dx
π~ −∞
=0

This last result comes from the fact that the integral of an odd function over a symmetric interval
is zero.

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.9 Page 3 of 4

Use the probability distribution to calculate the expectation value of x2 . Use the gaussian integral
inside the back cover to evaluate the integral.
ˆ ∞ ˆ ∞
2 2
x |Ψ(x, t)| dx x2 |Ψ(x, t)|2 dx ˆ ∞
hx2 i = ˆ ∞
−∞
= −∞
= x2 |Ψ(x, t)|2 dx
2 1 −∞
|Ψ(x, t)| dx
−∞
ˆ ∞
= x2 Ψ(x, t)Ψ∗ (x, t) dx
−∞
ˆ ∞ "r # "r #
2am 2 2am 2
x2 e−a[(mx /~)+it] e−a[(mx /~)−it] dx
4 4
=
−∞ π~ π~
ˆ
2am ∞ 2 −2amx2 /~
r
= x e dx
π~ −∞
ˆ
2am ∞ 2 −2amx2 /~
r
=2 x e dx
π~ 0
ˆ h√
2am ∞ 2 −x2 / ~/(2am)
r i2
=2 x e dx
π~ 0
q 3
r ~
2am √ (2)!  2am 
=2 · π
π~ 1! 2
~
=
4am
According to Ehrenfest’s theorem,

dhxi
hpi = mhvi = m = 0.
dt
Check this result by calculating hpi manually.
ˆ ∞  
∗ ∂
hpi = Ψ (x, t) −i~ Ψ(x, t) dx
−∞ ∂x
ˆ ∞
∂Ψ
= −i~ Ψ∗ (x, t) dx
−∞ ∂x
ˆ ∞
∂Ψ
= −i~ Ψ∗ (x, t) dx
−∞ ∂x
ˆ ∞ "r # "r #
4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)−it] ∂ 4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)+it]
= −i~ e e dx
−∞ π~ ∂x π~
ˆ ∞ "r # "r   #
4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)−it] 4 2am 2am −a[(mx2 /~)+it]
= −i~ e − x e dx
−∞ π~ π~ ~
r ˆ ∞
2am 2
=i (2am) xe−2amx /~ dx
π~
| −∞ {z }
=0
=0

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Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 1.9 Page 4 of 4

Now calculate hp2 i with the provided gaussian integrals inside the back cover of the book.
ˆ ∞
∂ 2
 
hp2 i = Ψ∗ (x, t) −i~ Ψ(x, t) dx
−∞ ∂x
ˆ ∞  2

∗ 2 2 ∂
= Ψ (x, t) i ~ Ψ(x, t) dx
−∞ ∂x2
ˆ ∞
∂2Ψ
= −~ 2
Ψ∗ (x, t) 2 dx
−∞ ∂x
ˆ ∞ "r # "r #
2 4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)−it] ∂ 2 4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)+it]
= −~ e e dx
−∞ π~ ∂x2 π~
ˆ ∞ "r # "r   #
2 4 2am −a[(mx2 /~)−it] ∂ 4 2am 2am −a[(mx2 /~)+it]
= −~ e − x e dx
−∞ π~ ∂x π~ ~
ˆ ∞ "r # "r    #
2am 2 2am 2am 2am 2
= −~2 e−a[(mx /~)−it] x2 e−a[(mx /~)+it] dx
4 4
− 1−
−∞ π~ π~ ~ ~
r  ˆ ∞  
2 2am 2am 2am 2 −2amx2 /~
=~ 1− x e dx
π~ ~ −∞ ~
 ˆ ∞ ˆ
2am ∞ 2 −2amx2 /~
r  
2 2am 2am −2amx2 /~
=~ e dx − x e dx
π~ ~ −∞ ~ −∞
 ˆ ∞ ˆ
4am ∞ 2 −2amx2 /~
r  
2 2am 2am −2amx2 /~
=~ 2 e dx − x e dx
π~ ~ 0 ~ 0
 ˆ ∞ h√ ˆ h√
2am ∞ 2 −x2 / ~/(2am)
r  i2 i2 
2 2am 4am −x2 / ~/(2am)
=~ e dx − x e dx
π~ ~ 0 ~ 0
 q  q 3 
r ~ ~
√ √ (2)!
  
2 2am 4am 
2am
− 2am 2am

=~ π · π  
π~ ~ 
 2 ~ 1! 2 

  
4am 1 1
= ~2 −
~ 2 4
= ~am

Part (d)

Use the results in part (c) to determine the standard deviations in x and p.
r r
p ~ 1 ~
σx = hx2 i − hxi2 = − 02 =
4am 2 am
p p √
σp = hp2 i − hpi2 = ~am − 02 = ~am

The product of σx and σp is

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