In: Chemistry
Consider a particle of mass m confined to a one-dimensional box of length L and in a state with normalized wavefunction. For a partide in a box the energy is given by
En = n2h2/8mL2 and, because the potential energy is zero, all of this energy is kinetic. Use this observation and, without evaluating any integrals, explain why < px2>= n2h2/4L2
The detail explaination of the expression of average momentum is shown below. Since the box is one dimensional thus we assume that the particle moves along X -axis only. Inside the box the potential energy is zero and the all energy inside the box is assumed to be kinetic.