Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-advanced-quantum-physics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2022/section-b/5/b/solution
Past exam of the advanced quantum physics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 Section B 5 b Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Use zero-based labels to agree with in the later parts. The normalized infinite square well energy eigenstates and energy eigenvalues areThe position matrix elements in a symmetric infinite square well, obtained by integrating the product of the two wavefunctions against , areThe integral in the question uses positive integer labels; replacing them by is essential here. Only opposite-parity states, odd, contribute, as also follows from the parity operator selection rule.
Second-order nondegenerate perturbation theory now gives the requested infinite sum:In fully explicit form this isThe symbol here denotes the electron mass, not a summation index. For the ground state , every denominator in the first form is negative, so the ground energy level moves downward. For excited states, contributions from lower and higher energy levels have opposite signs.
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