Schrodinger equation Page 1 of 4

Schrodinger Equation
The Schrodinger equation plays the role of Newton's laws and
conservation of energy in classical mechanics - i.e., it predicts the future
behavior of a dynamic system. It is a wave equation in terms of the
wavefunction which predicts analytically and precisely the probability of
events or outcome. The detailed outcome is not strictly determined, but
given a large number of events, the Schrodinger equation will predict the
distribution of results.

Index

Schrodinger
equation
concepts

The kinetic and potential energies are transformed into the Hamiltonian
which acts upon the wavefunction to generate the evolution of the
wavefunction in time and space. The Schrodinger equation gives the
quantized energies of the system and gives the form of the wavefunction
so that other properties may be calculated.

Classical harmonic oscillator Quantum harmonic oscillator

Quantum mechanical operators

Free particle approach to the Schrodinger equation

Applications of the Schrodinger equation

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Particle in a Box

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The idealized situation of a particle in a box with

infinitely high walls is an application of the
Schrodinger equation which yields some insights into
particle confinement. The wavefunction must be zero
at the walls and the solution for the wavefunction
yields just sine waves.

The longest wavelength is

Index
and the higher modes have wavelengths given by

When this is substituted into the DeBroglie relationship

it yields momentum

Quantized energies Calculation Schrodinger solution

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Particle in a Box
When the momentum expression for the particle in a
box :

is used to calculate the energy associated with the

particle
Index

Though oversimplified, this indicates some important

things about bound states for particles:
1. The energies are quantized and can be characterized
by a quantum number n
2. The energy cannot be exactly zero.
3. The smaller the confinement, the larger the energy
required.

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If a particle is confined into a rectangular volume, the

same kind of process can be applied to a three-
dimensional "particle in a box", and the same kind of
energy contribution is made from each dimension. The
energies for a three-dimensional box are

This gives a more physically realistic expression for

the available energies for contained particles. This
expression is used in determining the density of
possible energy states for electrons in solids.
Calculation
Example of required energy to confine particles

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Particle in a Box Calculation

For a one-dimensional particle in a box , the particle energy for a box of
dimension can be calculated below. For a three-dimensional box there will be
three values for the quantum number n. The energies for each dimension could
be calculated and added. The implication of that addition is that it takes more
energy to confine a particle in three dimensions than in one, and that the
minimum confinement energy for a 3D box of dimension L is three times that
of a 1D box.

L= x 10^ m= a0 = fermi* =
proton radii**,

and mass = x 10^ kg = me = mp =

MeV/c2 ,

then the energy for state n = for a one-dimensional box is

Index
E= x 10^ joules = eV = MeV =
GeV. Schrodinger
equation

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The ground state of a three-dimensional box of concepts

dimension L can be obtained by setting n=1 for all
three dimensions, giving an energy three times the
ground state energy of the one-dimensional box. The
ground state for the three-dimensional box would be

E3D ground = x 10^ joules =

eV = MeV = GeV.

Note: If the energy value is changed, then the state is

set to n=1 and the box dimension L is calculated. Any
other changes initiate a recalculation of the energy.
Compare to uncertainty principle Energies in eV Finite wall box
Example of required energy to confine particles

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