I'm reading this wikipedia article and I'm trying to understand the proof under "Degeneracy in One Dimension". Here's what it says:
Considering a one-dimensional quantum system in a potential V(x) with degenerate states |ψ1⟩ and |ψ2⟩ corresponding to the same energy eigenvalue E, writing the time-independent Schrödinger equation for the system: −ℏ22m∂2ψ1∂x2+Vψ1=Eψ1
−ℏ22m∂2ψ2∂x2+Vψ2=Eψ2Multiplying the first equation by ψ2 and the second by ψ1 and subtracting one from the other, we get: ψ1d2dx2ψ2−ψ2d2dx2ψ1=0Integrating both sides ψ1∂ψ2∂x−ψ2∂ψ1∂x=constantIn case of well-defined and normalizable wave functions, the above constant vanishes, provided both the wave functions vanish at at least one point, and we find: ψ1(x)=cψ2(x) where c is, in general, a complex constant. So, the two degenerate wave functions are not linearly independent. For bound state eigenfunctions, the wave function approaches zero in the limit x→∞ or x→−∞, so that the above constant is zero and we have no degeneracy.
Here are the parts I don't understand:
How does integrating ψ1d2dx2ψ2−ψ2d2dx2ψ1=0 yield ψ1∂ψ2∂x−ψ2∂ψ1∂x=constant. Without having explicit formulas for ψ1(x) and ψ2(x), how do we just apparently pull them both out of the integral?
I don't understand how the constant in the last equation vanishes just because ψ1 and ψ2 vanish at infinity.
Even if it does vanish, how does that imply ψ1=cψ2?
Answer
(1). ψ1ψ"2−ψ2ψ"1=ddx(ψ1ψ′2−ψ2ψ′1)=0.
(2). At infinity, it is zero, so the constant must be 0
(3). Integrate ψ1ψ′2=ψ2ψ′1, you will get that
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