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Assignment 2

This document contains an assignment on statistical mechanics with 4 questions. Question 1 involves calculating the probability of finding a certain number of particles in one region of a container divided into two regions, and finding the average number of particles in one region. Question 2 shows that the Hamiltonian is a constant of motion for a classical system with no explicit time dependence. Question 3 covers ladder operators for a quantum simple harmonic oscillator. Question 4 involves finding the time evolution of an initial wavefunction for the oscillator and calculating its expectation value of the Hamiltonian.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
58 views1 page

Assignment 2

This document contains an assignment on statistical mechanics with 4 questions. Question 1 involves calculating the probability of finding a certain number of particles in one region of a container divided into two regions, and finding the average number of particles in one region. Question 2 shows that the Hamiltonian is a constant of motion for a classical system with no explicit time dependence. Question 3 covers ladder operators for a quantum simple harmonic oscillator. Question 4 involves finding the time evolution of an initial wavefunction for the oscillator and calculating its expectation value of the Hamiltonian.

Uploaded by

Nitish Putrevu
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Statistical Mechanics (PHY F312)

Assignment - 2: Prerequisites and Foundations of Statistical Mechanics


Deadline for submission: 7/9/2017 (during class hours)

1. A container of volume V is homogeneously filled with N particles of a gas in equilibrium. Divide the
container into two hypothetical regions with volume V1 and V2 , N1 and N2 denoting the number of
particles in region 1 and region 2 respectively. As was derived in class, the total number of microstates
of the system is given by
XN
Ωtot (N, V ) = N
CN1 V1N1 V2N2
N1 =0

(a) Calculate the probability pk that there are exactly k particles in the fictitious volume V1 and
N − k particles in the volume V2 .
(b) Find the average number of particles in the volume V1 .
2. A classical system is described by a Hamiltonian H(q, q̇) which has no explicit dependence on time,
and a potential V (q) which is not velocity-dependent. For such a system, show that the numerical
value of the Hamiltonian is a constant of motion and that it denotes the total energy present in the
system.

3. Consider a quantum simple harmonic oscillator in one-dimension:

p2 mω 2 x2
H= +
2m 2
Define the ladder operator as:
1
â = √ (p̂ − ix̂)
2
(a) Show that [â, ↠] = 1.
(b) Show that [â↠, H] = 0.
(c) Show that if |ni is an eigenstate of N̂ = ↠â with eigenvalue n:

N̂ |ni = n|ni

then ↠|ni and â|ni are also eigenstates of N̂ with eigenvalues n + 1 and n − 1, respectively.
(d) Define |0i such that a|0i = |0i. What is the energy eigenvalue of |0i?

4. At t = 0, the wavefunction of the quantum simple harmonic oscillator system (of the previous question)
is given by r r
1 2
Ψ(x, 0) = Ψ0 (x) + Ψ2 (x)
3 3
(a) Find the time evolution of the wavefunction. (Ψ(x, t) for t ≥ 0)
(b) Calculate the expectation value of the Hamiltonian hΨ|H|Ψi. Is it time dependent?

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