Thursday, September 26, 2019

quantum mechanics - Expectation values of the position operator is equal to zero in case of even potentials?


Assuming the eigenvalue of position operator ˆx equal to k, can I not write:


ψn|x|ψm=xψn|ψm=kψn|ψm=kψn|ψm=kδnm


But I know that x=0 in case of even potentials (I don't know how that happens) and what I have written above is wrong, at least in case of even potentials.


Taking the example of infinite 1D square well, the states are : ψn(x)=Asin(nxπL)dx

then, ψn|x|ψm=Asin(mxπL)xsin(nxπL)dx
If m=n=1, $$ =A\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}x\sin^{2}\left(\frac{x\pi}{L}\right)dx ifweapplyanevenpotentialthentheequationgetsreducedto
=\frac{1}{L}\int_{-L}^{L}x\sin^{2}\left(\frac{x\pi}{L}\right)dx=0 whileincaseofapotential(neitherevennorodd),theequationleadsto
=\frac{2}{L}\int_{0}^{L}x\sin^{2}\left(\frac{x\pi}{L}\right)dx=L/2 ~? $$ Here n=m=1 but $ =0 forevenpotentials,whichisconfusingme!Itshouldbek$ right?




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