Schrodinger time dependent wave equation

A plane wave is described by the wave function

x, t Aei kxt

Replace k and by using the following relations

E h and p hk and we have the wave function associated with a particle is

x, t Ae

i
px Et
h

---------- (1)

Differentiate equation (1) with respect to x

i
px Et
x, t i
h

p Ae
x
h

---------- (2)

Differentiate equation (2) with respect to x

i
px Et
2 x, t i
i
h

p
p
Ae

x 2
h
h

i
px Et
2 x, t i 2 2
h

p
Ae
2
x 2
h

i
px Et
2 x, t p 2
h

Ae

2
x 2
h

2 x, t
h
p 2 x, t
2
x
2

---------- (3)

Differentiate equation (1) with respect to t

x, t i

t
h
x, t
t
ih

ih

x, t
t

px Et

E Ae h

px Et

E Ae h

(multiplying the R.H.S by (i/i))

E x, t

The total energy E is written as E

---------- (4)

p2
V
2m

---------- (5)

Substitute equation (5) in (4),

x, t p 2

ih

V x, t
t
2m

x, t p 2 x, t
ih

V x, t
t
2m

---------- (6)

Using equation (3) in (6)

2
x, t
h 2 x, t
ih

V x, t
t
2m x 2

Schrodinger time dependent equation is written as

2
x, t
h 2 x, t
ih

V x, t
t
2m x 2

---------- (1)

The wave function associated with a particle is

x, t Ae

i
px Et
h

ipx
iEt

h
h

x, t Ae e
Let us define
Now

x e

ipx
h

x, t A x e

which is the function of x only

iEt
h

---------- (2)

Differentiate equation (2) with respect to x

x, t
x iEth
A
e
x
x

---------- (3)

Differentiate equation (3) with respect to x

2 x, t
2 x iEth
A
e
x 2
x 2
Differentiate equation (2) with respect to t

---------- (4)

iEt

x, t
iE
A x e h
t
h

---------- (5)

2 x, t
x, t
Substitute the value of x, t ,
and
x 2
t

from (2),

(4) and (5) in equation (1).

2
iEt
iEt
2

x iEth
iE
h
h
ih A x e
e VA x e h
A
2
h
2m
x

iEt
iEt

2 x iEth
iE
h2
h
ih
A x e
e V A x e h
A
2
h

2m
x

2
iE
h 2 x

i x

V x
2m x 2
h

2
h 2 x
E x

V x
2m x 2
2
h 2 x

E V x 0
2m x 2

2 x
2m
2 E V x 0

2
h
x

---------- (6)

Here is the function of x only. The equation (6) is known as Schrodinger time independent wave
equation,

Application of Schrodinger wave equation

Let us consider a particle pf mass m kept inside a box of infinite height with width L. The particle is
moving freely between the walls of the box and its potential is assumed to be zero inside the box. Since
the potential outside the box is infinite, the particle can not escape from the box.

We can write

V 0

for 0 x L

V for

0 xL

Since the presence of particle outside the box is zero, we can write

At x 0, x 0

---------- (1a)

At x L, x 0

---------- (1b)

Equation (1a) and (1b) are known as boundary conditions.

Applying Schrodinger equation to this particle, we have

2 x
2m

E 0 x 0

2
2

x
h

2 x
2m

E x 0

2
2

x
h

(V=0 inside the box)

2 x
k 2 x 0

2
x

- (2)
Where

k2

2mE
h2

---------- (3)

The solution of the equation (2) is given as

x A sin kx B cos kx
Applying boundary condition (1a) in (4), we get

0 A sin 0 B cos 0

---------- (4)

---------

B0
Applying boundary condition (1b) in (4), we get

0 sin kL
sin kL 0
kL n
n
k
L

---------- (5)

Where n=0,1,2,3,..
Now the wave function becomes

n x
L

x A sin kx A sin

---------- (6)

To find the constant A

Since the total probability of finding the particle inside the box is one, we can write
2

dx 1

n x
dx 1
L

sin 2

2n x

L dx 1
2

1 cos

A2
0

A2
2n x
1 cos
dx 1

2 0
L
L

A2

2n x
sin

L
x
2n

A2
L 0 0 0 1
2
A2 L
1
2

1
0

2
L

Now the equation (5) becomes

2
n x
sin

L
L

Substitute the value of k from equation (5) in (2)

n2 h2
En
8mL2

---------- (7)