Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-advanced-quantum-physics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2013/paper-1/1/c/solution
Past exam of the advanced quantum physics course of the University of Cambridge 2013 Paper 1 1 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-20
Centre the infinite square well at zero. Its ground state wavefunction is inside the well and zero outside. The momentum representation in quantum mechanics gives the wavevector amplitudeConsequently the unnormalised wavevector distribution of an infinite-well ground state isThe apparent singularities at are removable. The normalized probability density is times the boxed expression and has limit there. Translating the well changes only the Fourier transform's phase. The wavevector is continuously distributed; a box energy eigenstate is not a free momentum eigenstate.
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