Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2002/ib/paper-2/18d/c/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2002 ib Paper 2 18D c Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
Write with . Normalization of the Gaussian wave packet gives , hence . The supplied Gaussian integral ratio then givesThe momentum operator obeys , and direct second differentiation gives . Taking the expectation value and substituting the first result givessince . These are the second moments of a complex Gaussian wave packet.
For the solution in part (b), the trigonometric identitygives, writing ,Thus normalizability requires , and the exact expectation values areSince ,Their difference is the constant , so the mean energy stays constant despite exponential spreading in both observables.
New to topics? Read the docs here!