Why is there no help: momentum expectation value 2D particle in a box

In summary, for a 2D particle in a box, the momentum operator is defined as usual, but one of the 3 components is missing.
  • #1
Duave
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Is there anyone out there that knows how to define the p operator for a 2-d box. Please can you give a full answer, and not only a hint. I think that no one on this planet knows what it is. I have looked all over the internet. If there is no answer. Why don't people just say it? I think nobody knows. There is absolutely no information on the square of the magnitude of the momentum for a 2-D particle in box. Is this a unexplored portion of quantum physics? Am I embarking on a new concept that Schrodinger never considered? It seems so. Please feel free to respond to my discovery. An answer would be nice. Thank you.
 
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  • #2
Duave said:
Is there anyone out there that knows how to define the p operator for a 2-d box. Please can you give a full answer, and not only a hint. I think that no one on this planet knows what it is. I have looked all over the internet. If there is no answer. Why don't people just say it? I think nobody knows. There is absolutely no information on the square of the magnitude of the momentum for a 2-D particle in box. Is this a unexplored portion of quantum physics? Am I embarking on a new concept that Schrodinger never considered? It seems so. Please feel free to respond to my discovery. An answer would be nice. Thank you.

First of all, try to dial back on the silliness. Just because you can't find it on the web doesn't mean it doesn't exist. This is a standard topic in many QM classes, and certainly a topic covered in solid state physics. So I hate to burst your bubble, but you haven't found anything new.

Secondly, look at this:

http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~alan/E...tures/King_Notes_Density_of_States_2D1D0D.pdf

Finally, you sound as if you have asked this before. Did you just violated our rules and came back as a sock puppet?

Zz.
 
  • #3
For the 2D infinite square well the Schrodinger equation is separable therefore you can get the expectation values for each individual momentum component. The total momentum expectation will be the sum of the momentum components. So there are no new physics here.

The momentum operator is defined as usual only that one of the 3 components is missing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum_operator
 
  • #4
@ZapperZ and bp_psy:

Thank you very much for the response. In order to start working on my problem I need to know the general form of the momentum average for a 2D particle in a box. I am a chemistry major taking a physics course. I can not understand the links. I am really in need of an example of the general form of a 2D particle in a box for the momentum average. Can you give me a response to my question in a form like this please:

<p^2> =∫(2/a) sin(n*pi*x/a)(ih[d/dx](2/a) sin(n*pi*y/a)dxdy


I am not saying that what i wrote is a true statement for the momentum average for the a 2D particle in a box. I just need the answer in this kind of form from you. A link does not help me because, honestly, I ran across the links that you both gave me when I was initially trying to find the information that I am asking about. The links are not helping me. Can you please give me a direct mathematical answer? Thank you again for your response.
 
  • #5
This is a HW/Coursework-type question and must be done in the HW/Coursework forum. You must provide the entire problem and follow the requirement of the template in that forum..

Zz.
 

FAQ: Why is there no help: momentum expectation value 2D particle in a box

Why is the expectation value of momentum zero for a 2D particle in a box?

The expectation value of momentum is zero for a 2D particle in a box because the particle is confined within a finite space, meaning it cannot travel in a particular direction indefinitely. This confinement leads to quantized energy states and restricts the particle's momentum to a finite range, resulting in an average momentum value of zero.

What is the significance of the momentum expectation value in this system?

The momentum expectation value in a 2D particle in a box system gives us an idea of the average momentum of the particle within the confined space. It helps us understand the behavior and properties of the particle within the box, and how it interacts with its surroundings.

How does the size of the box affect the momentum expectation value?

The size of the box directly affects the momentum expectation value in a 2D particle in a box system. As the size of the box increases, the energy states become more closely spaced, leading to a smaller range of allowed momentum values and a lower expectation value for momentum. On the other hand, a smaller box results in a larger range of allowed momentum values and a higher expectation value for momentum.

Is there any relationship between the expectation value of momentum and the uncertainty principle?

Yes, the expectation value of momentum is related to the uncertainty principle. According to the uncertainty principle, the more precisely we know the momentum of a particle, the less precisely we can know its position. In a 2D particle in a box system, the expectation value of momentum being zero means that we have no knowledge about the momentum of the particle, leading to a high uncertainty in its position.

Can the momentum expectation value ever be non-zero in a 2D particle in a box system?

No, the momentum expectation value in a 2D particle in a box system can never be non-zero. This is because the particle is confined within a finite space, resulting in quantized energy states and a limited range of allowed momentum values. The average momentum, therefore, remains at zero, and any change in this value would violate the laws of quantum mechanics.

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