QUANTUM MECHANICS

INSPIRING GREATNESS
 Quantum Mechanics

Foundation of all
modern fields of
sciences

Nature of atoms, Matter interaction

chemical bonds and Property of with external
molecules electromagnetic electromagnetic fields
radiation (such as
light)
Distance (𝑥) and time (𝑡) mass (𝑚)

𝑥 Momentum (𝑝 = 𝑚𝑣)
Velocity (𝑣 = )
𝑡

𝑣 Force (F =ma)
Acceleration (a = )
𝑡

Energy or Work
𝑊 = 𝐹𝑥
“Classical physics” is based on three assumptions

1. The exact position (r) and velocity (v) and hence the momentum
(𝑝 = 𝑚𝑣) of a particle (mass = m) can be known simultaneously at
each point in time

2. Allows any type of motion to be excited to any energy simply by

controlling the forces that are applied

3. Particles and waves are distinguishable phenomena, with

different, characteristic properties and behaviour.

Conclusions agree with everyday experience but not when one looks at
individual atoms and subatomic particles
 Classical physics

• Classical light = electromagnetic radiation spreading as

harmonic waves

• The waves travel at the speed of light 𝑐 = 3 × 108 𝑚 𝑠 −1

• Electromagnetic field: electric field and magnetic field and is

characterized by a wavelength, λ and the distance between 𝝀 = 𝒄/𝒗
peaks frequency, v.
• The characteristics of the
wave are also reported by
giving the wavenumber,

𝒗
෥=
𝒗 = 𝟏/𝝀
𝒄
5
Failures of classical mechanics

1. Black body radiation and UV catastrophe

2. The photoelectric effect and the photon
3. Atomic and molecular spectra (Optical spectra)
4. Heat capacities
Blackbody Radiation
An object that absorbs all incident radiation, i.e. no reflection.

• The radiation is absorbed in the walls of the cavity

• This causes heating of the cavity walls
• Atoms in the walls of the cavity will vibrate at
frequencies characteristic of the temperature of the walls

• Light emitted by burning charcoal is red

whereas hotter objects like the sun appears
yellow-white and this depends only upon the
temperature
Blackbody Experiment Results

1. As T↑ the total energy

(area under curve) ↑

2. As T↑ the maximum shifts

to shorter wavelengths
Rayleigh-Jeans Law
• An early classical attempt to explain
blackbody radiation was the Rayleigh-Jeans
law
8kT
p ( , T ) =
4

• At long wavelengths, the law matched

experimental results fairly well

• At short wavelengths, there was a major disagreement

between the Rayleigh-Jeans law and experiment

• This mismatch became known as the “ultraviolet

catastrophe” You would have infinite energy as the wavelength
approaches zero
 Max Planck
• In 1900 Planck developed a formula to explain the blackbody radiation. He won
the Nobel Prize in 1918 for his work

• This equation is in complete agreement with experimental observations

• He assumed the cavity radiation came from atomic oscillations in the cavity walls

• Planck made assumptions about the nature of the oscillators in the cavity walls
Planck’s Model
• Introduced the concept of “quantization”
• The energy of an oscillator can have only certain discrete values En
• The oscillator can have the energies 0, hn, 2hn...and no other energies.

En = nhv
Where n = 0,1,2,3,……
h is Planck’s constant
v is the frequency of oscillation
 Planck’s Distribution of Energy
• Planck generated a theoretical expression for the wavelength
distribution
8hc 1
p = 5
  kThc 
 e − 1
 
 
h = 6.626 x 10-34 J.s (fundamental constant of nature)

• At short wavelengths, it predicts an exponential decrease in intensity

with decreasing wavelength
– This is in agreement with experimental results
• At long wavelengths, Planck’s equation reduces to the Rayleigh-
Jeans expression
Blackbody Experiment Results
▪ The total power of the emitted radiation (i.e. area under the curve)
increases with temperature
– Stefan-Boltzmann law
P =AεδT4

where T is the absolute temperature

A is the surface area of the radiator
ε is the emissivity (for a perfect black body ε =1)
σ is Stefan Boltzmann Constant is equal to 5.67 x 10-8 W/(m2K4).

▪ The peak of the wavelength distribution shifts to shorter wavelengths as

the temperature increases
– Wien’s displacement law
λmaxT = 2.898 x 10-3 m.K
 Example
Calculate the peak wavelength of the blackbody
radiation emitted by:

(A) the Sun (2000 K)