Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2019/ib/paper-4/6b/a/solution

For a wavefunction , the probability density and probability current are
Multiply the Schrodinger equation by , multiply its complex conjugate by , and subtract. The real potential energy terms cancel, leaving
which is the probability continuity equation .
For a stationary state, , so and is constant in space. A normalizable wavefunction has vanishing current at spatial infinity, forcing this constant to be zero. By contrast the nonnormalizable plane wave
has stationary density and nonzero current
when .

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