Math Problem Statement
A quantum harmonic oscillator has energy eigenvalues 𝐸n = ( 𝑛 + 0.5 ) ℏ 𝜔 , where , n = 0, 1, 2... The uncertainty in energy ΔE for the ground state (n = 0) is ___
a)ℏω b)3ℏω c)(ℏ/2) sqrt[(2mω^2)/h] d)None of the above
Solution
For a quantum harmonic oscillator, the energy levels are given by:
where , is the reduced Planck's constant, and is the angular frequency of the oscillator.
The uncertainty in energy for a particular state can be interpreted as the standard deviation of the energy distribution for that state. However, in a single energy eigenstate of a quantum harmonic oscillator (such as the ground state ), the uncertainty in energy is zero because the energy is precisely defined. Therefore, in an ideal scenario where only a single energy state is occupied, .
Given the options provided:
a) b) c) d) None of the above
Since the uncertainty in energy for the ground state is theoretically zero and none of the provided options reflect this, the correct answer is:
d) None of the above.
Would you like further clarification or have any other questions? Here are some related topics:
- What is a quantum harmonic oscillator?
- How is the energy of a quantum harmonic oscillator quantized?
- What are energy eigenstates and eigenvalues?
- How is the uncertainty principle applied in quantum mechanics?
- What is the significance of (reduced Planck's constant)?
- How do quantum harmonic oscillators relate to real-world physical systems?
- What is the ground state of a quantum system?
- How does the concept of zero-point energy arise from quantum mechanics?
Tip: The ground state energy in a quantum harmonic oscillator is non-zero due to quantum fluctuations, a phenomenon known as zero-point energy.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Quantum Mechanics
Harmonic Oscillator
Energy Quantization
Formulas
Energy eigenvalues of quantum harmonic oscillator: E_n = (n + 0.5) * hbar * omega
Theorems
Uncertainty Principle
Suitable Grade Level
Graduate Level
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