Past exam of the physics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / Paper 1 / Section D

Here $V(x)$ is potential energy, $E$ is the stationary state's total energy, and $\psi (x)$ is its spatial probability amplitude. The wave function has time factor $e^{-iEt/\hslash }$; $|\psi {|}^2$ is a position probability density for a normalized state. Stationary plane-wave scattering solutions are idealizations described by probability-current ratios, or components of a normalizable wave packet.

Above an upward step, a classical particle is fully transmitted with reduced speed. Quantum mechanically the abrupt wavelength change generally produces both reflected and transmitted amplitudes even though both regions are classically allowed. With unit incident amplitude and no wave arriving from the right,The reflected component has signed wavevector $-k_1$ and the same wavenumber magnitude as the incident component. A finite potential jump with constant mass and no delta interaction requires continuity of $\psi$ and ${\psi }^{\prime }$:The probability current $j=(\hslash /m)\mathrm{Im}({\psi }^{\ast }{\psi }^{\prime })$ gives probability reflection and transmission $\mathcal{R}=|r{|}^2$ and $\mathcal{T}=(k_2/k_1)|t{|}^2$, with $\mathcal{R}+\mathcal{T}=1$. The amplitude $t$ may exceed one without violating conservation of total probability, because the transmitted group speed is smaller.

For $0<E<V_0$, let $\kappa =\sqrt{2m(V_0-E)}/\hslash$. The bounded right-hand solution is $t{e}^{-\kappa x}$, an evanescent wave tail with amplitude penetration scale $1/\kappa$. It carries no outgoing probability current in an infinitely long forbidden half-space, so reflection is total. This differs from transmission through a finite potential barrier, where a second boundary can support quantum tunnelling.

For a downward step, replace $k_2$ by $\sqrt{2m(E+V_0)}/\hslash >k_1$. The same boundary conditions give a nonzero negative $r$, corresponding to a reflected amplitude with phase reversal. If reflection were forbidden, $r=0$ would require both $t=1$ and $k_1=k_2$, impossible for a nonzero step. Reflection therefore does not require a classical potential barrier; the discontinuity of wavenumber mismatch is enough.

For the specified electron energies, $k_2/k_1=\sqrt{40/100}=\sqrt{0.4}$, so the requested amplitude coefficients areThe corresponding probability coefficients are approximately $\mathcal{R}=0.05069$ and $\mathcal{T}=0.94931$. electron mass cancels from these ratios; there is no need to invent an additional material effective mass.

For a flexible uniform string with linear mass density $\rho$ and tension $T$, dimensional analysis gives $[T/\rho ]=L^2{T}^{-2}$ and hence $c\propto \sqrt{T/\rho }$. The small-slope force balance $\rho {\psi }_{tt}=T{\psi }_{xx}$ fixes the factor to one:Here $\rho$ has units kg/m, not the volume-density units used for a bulk fluid. The phase moves along the string at $c$, while a material point moves transversely with ${\psi }_t=A\omega \sin (kx-\omega t)$. Its maximum speed is $A\omega$, which is not the phase velocity. Small slope $Ak\ll 1$ makes $A\omega \ll c$ in this model.

The kinetic energy and extra elastic energy of a segment areThe second expression follows from extra length $\sqrt{1+{\psi }_x^2}dx-dx\simeq {\psi }_x^{2}dx/2$ against the pre-existing constant tension. Time averaging a harmonic wave gives $⟨{\mathcal{E}}_K⟩=\rho A^2{\omega }^2/4$ and $⟨{\mathcal{E}}_U⟩=T{A}^2{k}^2/4=\rho A^2{\omega }^2/4$. Therefore

At the driven endpoint the string pulls along its local tangent into $x>0$, with vertical component $T{\psi }_x$ for small slope. The point exerts the opposite force on the string, so the driven-string endpoint power isFor the outgoing wave $\psi =A\cos (kx-\omega t)$, at $x=0$ the derivatives are ${\psi }_x=Ak\sin \omega t$ and ${\psi }_t=-A\omega \sin \omega t$. Thus $P=T{A}^{2}k\omega {\sin }^2\omega t$ andThe energy flux of a transverse string wave follows by combining the energy density $\mathcal{E}=(\rho {\psi }_t^2+T{\psi }_x^2)/2$ and flux $P=-T{\psi }_x{\psi }_t$, which satisfy ${\partial }_t\mathcal{E}+{\partial }_{x}P=0$. For a pure right-going nondispersive wave, $P=c\mathcal{E}$ even instantaneously. energy is transported with the wave; a material string element merely oscillates about its unperturbed position.