Particle in a rectangular box Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 ib Paper 1 18F a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2003 ib Paper 1 9A Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 ib Paper 1 15G Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 ib Paper 1 15A i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
The squared sine has integral over the interval of length , since it contains an integer number of half-wavelengths. A real positive phase convention therefore givesInside the infinite square well, the Time-independent Schrodinger equation is . The wavenumber is , soThe stationary states vanish at both walls and form an orthonormal basis of the square-integrable state space. A common arbitrary phase on each basis function does not alter any energy or measurement probability.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 81 3 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
For the Hamiltonian , the real-time configuration-space path integral iswith its measure defined by time slicing. Wick rotation gives the Euclidean path integral and the thermal trace.
For the infinite square well on , the Dirichlet boundary conditions select the normalized energy eigenstatesThere is no state: the corresponding sine is identically zero. Taking the trace in this orthonormal basis gives the canonical partition function
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ib Paper 1 15B a i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
Use the normalized eigenfunctions of the infinite square well,The sine identity expands the initial wavefunction asThe normalization factor yields precisely these coefficients. By the Born rule, the energy measurement probabilities are for and for . Thus the energy expectation isThe two probabilities sum to one, also checking the wavefunction normalization.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ib Paper 3 8B a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
Inside the infinite square well, the time-independent Schrodinger equation is . The infinite exterior potential imposes . For , the first condition leaves a sine and the second requires . A zero or negative energy gives only the zero solution under these conditions. The normalized energy eigenstates and eigenvalues areThe wavefunctions vanish outside the well, and a constant phase is immaterial. Normalization uses .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ib Paper 3 16B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
Inside the infinite square well, the stationary Schrodinger equation for unit mass isIts normalized eigenstates and energies areThe general normalized time-dependent solution is
Immediately after removing the barrier, the normalized wavefunction isIts Fourier sine series coefficients in the full-well basis areThey areThe Born rule therefore gives
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ib Paper 1 15A Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
A stationary state has the formFor a time-independent quantum observable , the global phases cancel in the expectation value:It is therefore independent of time.
For the infinite square well,The possible energy measurement results arewith respective Born rule probabilities and . Normalization gives .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 ib Paper 2 15B a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Inside the infinite square well, the time-independent Schrodinger equation has Dirichlet boundary conditions at and . Its normalized energy eigenstates and energy eigenvalues are
Unfolding a reflected interval trajectory 2026-10-06
Reflecting an interval repeatedly across its endpoints maps a reflected path to a free path in an image interval. A return trajectory from ends at after an even number of wall reflections, or after an odd number. An infinite square well has reflection amplitude , so the corresponding Dirichlet heat kernel on an interval is the difference of direct and mirrored free kernels. Individual straight paths illustrate the geometry; the path integral sums all time-sliced paths with the same endpoints.