Paper 3, Section I, B

Quantum Mechanics | Part IB, 2016

(a) Consider a quantum particle moving in one space dimension, in a timeindependent real potential V(x)V(x). For a wavefunction ψ(x,t)\psi(x, t), define the probability density ρ(x,t)\rho(x, t) and probability current j(x,t)j(x, t) and show that

∂ρ∂t+∂j∂x=0\frac{\partial \rho}{\partial t}+\frac{\partial j}{\partial x}=0

(b) Suppose now that V(x)=0V(x)=0 and ψ(x,t)=(eikx+Re−ikx)e−iEt/ℏ\psi(x, t)=\left(e^{i k x}+R e^{-i k x}\right) e^{-i E t / \hbar}, where E=ℏ2k2/(2m),kE=\hbar^{2} k^{2} /(2 m), k and mm are real positive constants, and RR is a complex constant. Compute the probability current for this wavefunction. Interpret the terms in ψ\psi and comment on how this relates to the computed expression for the probability current.

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