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9.18: Particle in an Infinite Spherical Potential Well

  • Page ID
    137741
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    Reduced mass: \( \mu\) = 1

    Angular momentum: L = 2

    Integration limit: rmax = 1

    Solve Schrödinger's equation numerically. Use Mathcad's ODE solve block:

    Given

    \[ \frac{-1}{2 \mu} \frac{d^2}{dr^2} \psi (r) - \frac{1}{r \mu} \frac{d}{dr} \psi (r) + \bigg[ \frac{L (L + 1)}{2 \mu r^2} \bigg] \psi (r) = E \psi (r)~~~ \psi (.0001) = .1~~~ \psi '(.0001) = 0 \nonumber \]

    \[ \psi = Odesolve (r, r_{max}) \nonumber \]

    Normalize the wavefunction:

    \[ \psi (r) = \left( \int_{0}^{r_{max}} \psi (r)^2 4 \pi r^2 dr \right) ^{ \frac{-1}{2}} \psi (r) \nonumber \]

    Energy guess: E = 16.51

    r = 0, .001 .. rmax

    Screen Shot 2019-02-19 at 11.33.17 AM.png


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