Why is the position expectation value for this wave function independent of the parameter?

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For a homework problem we are given the wave function



$$ Psi(x) = fracNx^2 + a^2, a > 0 $$



and asked to normalize it. Then we are to find the expectation value of $x$. To do so, I normalized the wave function



$$ Psi(x) = frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2) $$



Then, following my notes computed



$$ int_-infty^infty Psi(x)^* langle x rangle Psi(x) $$



Given that the wave equation is currently in the x basis I then computed



$$ int_-infty^infty
left(frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2)right)^*
x
left(frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2)right) $$



by plugging it into Wolfram Alpha. Though this results in a solution of $0$.



This does not seem correct. I feel like the solution should depend on $a$ in the very least. Is there some reason this is actually independent of $a$?










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  • Hi KDecker; normally we don't handle homework questions that just ask if your work is correct, but you've done something good here by giving a reason to suspect your solution might be wrong. (i.e. your last paragraph) I think your question might be fine but could benefit from a better title and perhaps more precise wording in the body. Would you mind editing it to focus on the issue of whether the solution really should contain $a$? (If you prefer, I can try to make an edit along those lines for you, without changing the core of the question too much.)
    – David Z♦
    1 hour ago










  • @DavidZ That is perfectly fine with me. Just wasn't sure what else I could do add to show effort. Thank you for the information though, I'll be sure to format my questions along those lines in the future.
    – KDecker
    30 mins ago










  • Sounds good. I made an edit; have a look and please feel free to fix it up if it doesn't reflect what you wanted to ask well enough.
    – David Z♦
    18 mins ago














up vote
2
down vote

favorite












For a homework problem we are given the wave function



$$ Psi(x) = fracNx^2 + a^2, a > 0 $$



and asked to normalize it. Then we are to find the expectation value of $x$. To do so, I normalized the wave function



$$ Psi(x) = frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2) $$



Then, following my notes computed



$$ int_-infty^infty Psi(x)^* langle x rangle Psi(x) $$



Given that the wave equation is currently in the x basis I then computed



$$ int_-infty^infty
left(frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2)right)^*
x
left(frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2)right) $$



by plugging it into Wolfram Alpha. Though this results in a solution of $0$.



This does not seem correct. I feel like the solution should depend on $a$ in the very least. Is there some reason this is actually independent of $a$?










share|cite|improve this question























  • Hi KDecker; normally we don't handle homework questions that just ask if your work is correct, but you've done something good here by giving a reason to suspect your solution might be wrong. (i.e. your last paragraph) I think your question might be fine but could benefit from a better title and perhaps more precise wording in the body. Would you mind editing it to focus on the issue of whether the solution really should contain $a$? (If you prefer, I can try to make an edit along those lines for you, without changing the core of the question too much.)
    – David Z♦
    1 hour ago










  • @DavidZ That is perfectly fine with me. Just wasn't sure what else I could do add to show effort. Thank you for the information though, I'll be sure to format my questions along those lines in the future.
    – KDecker
    30 mins ago










  • Sounds good. I made an edit; have a look and please feel free to fix it up if it doesn't reflect what you wanted to ask well enough.
    – David Z♦
    18 mins ago












up vote
2
down vote

favorite









up vote
2
down vote

favorite











For a homework problem we are given the wave function



$$ Psi(x) = fracNx^2 + a^2, a > 0 $$



and asked to normalize it. Then we are to find the expectation value of $x$. To do so, I normalized the wave function



$$ Psi(x) = frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2) $$



Then, following my notes computed



$$ int_-infty^infty Psi(x)^* langle x rangle Psi(x) $$



Given that the wave equation is currently in the x basis I then computed



$$ int_-infty^infty
left(frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2)right)^*
x
left(frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2)right) $$



by plugging it into Wolfram Alpha. Though this results in a solution of $0$.



This does not seem correct. I feel like the solution should depend on $a$ in the very least. Is there some reason this is actually independent of $a$?










share|cite|improve this question















For a homework problem we are given the wave function



$$ Psi(x) = fracNx^2 + a^2, a > 0 $$



and asked to normalize it. Then we are to find the expectation value of $x$. To do so, I normalized the wave function



$$ Psi(x) = frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2) $$



Then, following my notes computed



$$ int_-infty^infty Psi(x)^* langle x rangle Psi(x) $$



Given that the wave equation is currently in the x basis I then computed



$$ int_-infty^infty
left(frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2)right)^*
x
left(frac2 sqrta^3sqrtpi(x^2 + a^2)right) $$



by plugging it into Wolfram Alpha. Though this results in a solution of $0$.



This does not seem correct. I feel like the solution should depend on $a$ in the very least. Is there some reason this is actually independent of $a$?







quantum-mechanics wavefunction






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edited 18 mins ago









David Z♦

62.3k23135251




62.3k23135251










asked 1 hour ago









KDecker

4182717




4182717











  • Hi KDecker; normally we don't handle homework questions that just ask if your work is correct, but you've done something good here by giving a reason to suspect your solution might be wrong. (i.e. your last paragraph) I think your question might be fine but could benefit from a better title and perhaps more precise wording in the body. Would you mind editing it to focus on the issue of whether the solution really should contain $a$? (If you prefer, I can try to make an edit along those lines for you, without changing the core of the question too much.)
    – David Z♦
    1 hour ago










  • @DavidZ That is perfectly fine with me. Just wasn't sure what else I could do add to show effort. Thank you for the information though, I'll be sure to format my questions along those lines in the future.
    – KDecker
    30 mins ago










  • Sounds good. I made an edit; have a look and please feel free to fix it up if it doesn't reflect what you wanted to ask well enough.
    – David Z♦
    18 mins ago
















  • Hi KDecker; normally we don't handle homework questions that just ask if your work is correct, but you've done something good here by giving a reason to suspect your solution might be wrong. (i.e. your last paragraph) I think your question might be fine but could benefit from a better title and perhaps more precise wording in the body. Would you mind editing it to focus on the issue of whether the solution really should contain $a$? (If you prefer, I can try to make an edit along those lines for you, without changing the core of the question too much.)
    – David Z♦
    1 hour ago










  • @DavidZ That is perfectly fine with me. Just wasn't sure what else I could do add to show effort. Thank you for the information though, I'll be sure to format my questions along those lines in the future.
    – KDecker
    30 mins ago










  • Sounds good. I made an edit; have a look and please feel free to fix it up if it doesn't reflect what you wanted to ask well enough.
    – David Z♦
    18 mins ago















Hi KDecker; normally we don't handle homework questions that just ask if your work is correct, but you've done something good here by giving a reason to suspect your solution might be wrong. (i.e. your last paragraph) I think your question might be fine but could benefit from a better title and perhaps more precise wording in the body. Would you mind editing it to focus on the issue of whether the solution really should contain $a$? (If you prefer, I can try to make an edit along those lines for you, without changing the core of the question too much.)
– David Z♦
1 hour ago




Hi KDecker; normally we don't handle homework questions that just ask if your work is correct, but you've done something good here by giving a reason to suspect your solution might be wrong. (i.e. your last paragraph) I think your question might be fine but could benefit from a better title and perhaps more precise wording in the body. Would you mind editing it to focus on the issue of whether the solution really should contain $a$? (If you prefer, I can try to make an edit along those lines for you, without changing the core of the question too much.)
– David Z♦
1 hour ago












@DavidZ That is perfectly fine with me. Just wasn't sure what else I could do add to show effort. Thank you for the information though, I'll be sure to format my questions along those lines in the future.
– KDecker
30 mins ago




@DavidZ That is perfectly fine with me. Just wasn't sure what else I could do add to show effort. Thank you for the information though, I'll be sure to format my questions along those lines in the future.
– KDecker
30 mins ago












Sounds good. I made an edit; have a look and please feel free to fix it up if it doesn't reflect what you wanted to ask well enough.
– David Z♦
18 mins ago




Sounds good. I made an edit; have a look and please feel free to fix it up if it doesn't reflect what you wanted to ask well enough.
– David Z♦
18 mins ago










2 Answers
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You've got the right answer! The wave-function is symmetric about $0$, while the operator $langle x rangle = x$ is odd. So you have the product of two even functions and an odd function in your integrand, which results in a composite odd function. Integrating an odd function over a symmetric interval will always give you $0$!
Checking the symmetry of your functions is always a good way to figure out if your answer makes sense with these kinds of problems.






share|cite|improve this answer



























    up vote
    0
    down vote













    Josh's answer is sufficient. While he uses the final expectation value integral in his answer, you can also just look at the wavefunction. Since it is even, and since $|psi|^2$ (also even) tells us the probability of measuring the particle to be within position $x$ and $x+dx$, we know that the particle "spends an equal amount of time" at positive and negative $x$. So it must be that the mean position is $0$.



    I also wanted to address some of your notation and understanding of it.



    It seems like you are familiar with bases. The expectation value of position can be written without specifying any basis:
    $$langle Xrangle=langlepsi|X|psirangle$$



    Since we are given the wavefunction in the position basis $psi(x)=langle x|psirangle$, it makes sense to work in the position basis.



    Therefore, we can use the identity $int|xranglelangle x|dx=1$ to write our expectation value as
    $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftyint_-infty^inftylanglepsi|xranglelangle x|X|x'ranglelangle x'|psirangle dxdx'$$



    Then, knowing that $X$ in its own eigenbasis is $langle x|X|x'rangle=x'delta(x'-x)$, the integral becomes
    $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftypsi^*(x)xpsi(x)dx$$



    This is the integral you want. You don't want your expectation value inside the integral. Then you have an integral equation you don't want.






    share|cite|improve this answer






















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      2 Answers
      2






      active

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      2 Answers
      2






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      active

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      up vote
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      You've got the right answer! The wave-function is symmetric about $0$, while the operator $langle x rangle = x$ is odd. So you have the product of two even functions and an odd function in your integrand, which results in a composite odd function. Integrating an odd function over a symmetric interval will always give you $0$!
      Checking the symmetry of your functions is always a good way to figure out if your answer makes sense with these kinds of problems.






      share|cite|improve this answer
























        up vote
        3
        down vote













        You've got the right answer! The wave-function is symmetric about $0$, while the operator $langle x rangle = x$ is odd. So you have the product of two even functions and an odd function in your integrand, which results in a composite odd function. Integrating an odd function over a symmetric interval will always give you $0$!
        Checking the symmetry of your functions is always a good way to figure out if your answer makes sense with these kinds of problems.






        share|cite|improve this answer






















          up vote
          3
          down vote










          up vote
          3
          down vote









          You've got the right answer! The wave-function is symmetric about $0$, while the operator $langle x rangle = x$ is odd. So you have the product of two even functions and an odd function in your integrand, which results in a composite odd function. Integrating an odd function over a symmetric interval will always give you $0$!
          Checking the symmetry of your functions is always a good way to figure out if your answer makes sense with these kinds of problems.






          share|cite|improve this answer












          You've got the right answer! The wave-function is symmetric about $0$, while the operator $langle x rangle = x$ is odd. So you have the product of two even functions and an odd function in your integrand, which results in a composite odd function. Integrating an odd function over a symmetric interval will always give you $0$!
          Checking the symmetry of your functions is always a good way to figure out if your answer makes sense with these kinds of problems.







          share|cite|improve this answer












          share|cite|improve this answer



          share|cite|improve this answer










          answered 1 hour ago









          Josh Hoffmann

          434




          434




















              up vote
              0
              down vote













              Josh's answer is sufficient. While he uses the final expectation value integral in his answer, you can also just look at the wavefunction. Since it is even, and since $|psi|^2$ (also even) tells us the probability of measuring the particle to be within position $x$ and $x+dx$, we know that the particle "spends an equal amount of time" at positive and negative $x$. So it must be that the mean position is $0$.



              I also wanted to address some of your notation and understanding of it.



              It seems like you are familiar with bases. The expectation value of position can be written without specifying any basis:
              $$langle Xrangle=langlepsi|X|psirangle$$



              Since we are given the wavefunction in the position basis $psi(x)=langle x|psirangle$, it makes sense to work in the position basis.



              Therefore, we can use the identity $int|xranglelangle x|dx=1$ to write our expectation value as
              $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftyint_-infty^inftylanglepsi|xranglelangle x|X|x'ranglelangle x'|psirangle dxdx'$$



              Then, knowing that $X$ in its own eigenbasis is $langle x|X|x'rangle=x'delta(x'-x)$, the integral becomes
              $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftypsi^*(x)xpsi(x)dx$$



              This is the integral you want. You don't want your expectation value inside the integral. Then you have an integral equation you don't want.






              share|cite|improve this answer


























                up vote
                0
                down vote













                Josh's answer is sufficient. While he uses the final expectation value integral in his answer, you can also just look at the wavefunction. Since it is even, and since $|psi|^2$ (also even) tells us the probability of measuring the particle to be within position $x$ and $x+dx$, we know that the particle "spends an equal amount of time" at positive and negative $x$. So it must be that the mean position is $0$.



                I also wanted to address some of your notation and understanding of it.



                It seems like you are familiar with bases. The expectation value of position can be written without specifying any basis:
                $$langle Xrangle=langlepsi|X|psirangle$$



                Since we are given the wavefunction in the position basis $psi(x)=langle x|psirangle$, it makes sense to work in the position basis.



                Therefore, we can use the identity $int|xranglelangle x|dx=1$ to write our expectation value as
                $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftyint_-infty^inftylanglepsi|xranglelangle x|X|x'ranglelangle x'|psirangle dxdx'$$



                Then, knowing that $X$ in its own eigenbasis is $langle x|X|x'rangle=x'delta(x'-x)$, the integral becomes
                $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftypsi^*(x)xpsi(x)dx$$



                This is the integral you want. You don't want your expectation value inside the integral. Then you have an integral equation you don't want.






                share|cite|improve this answer
























                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote









                  Josh's answer is sufficient. While he uses the final expectation value integral in his answer, you can also just look at the wavefunction. Since it is even, and since $|psi|^2$ (also even) tells us the probability of measuring the particle to be within position $x$ and $x+dx$, we know that the particle "spends an equal amount of time" at positive and negative $x$. So it must be that the mean position is $0$.



                  I also wanted to address some of your notation and understanding of it.



                  It seems like you are familiar with bases. The expectation value of position can be written without specifying any basis:
                  $$langle Xrangle=langlepsi|X|psirangle$$



                  Since we are given the wavefunction in the position basis $psi(x)=langle x|psirangle$, it makes sense to work in the position basis.



                  Therefore, we can use the identity $int|xranglelangle x|dx=1$ to write our expectation value as
                  $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftyint_-infty^inftylanglepsi|xranglelangle x|X|x'ranglelangle x'|psirangle dxdx'$$



                  Then, knowing that $X$ in its own eigenbasis is $langle x|X|x'rangle=x'delta(x'-x)$, the integral becomes
                  $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftypsi^*(x)xpsi(x)dx$$



                  This is the integral you want. You don't want your expectation value inside the integral. Then you have an integral equation you don't want.






                  share|cite|improve this answer














                  Josh's answer is sufficient. While he uses the final expectation value integral in his answer, you can also just look at the wavefunction. Since it is even, and since $|psi|^2$ (also even) tells us the probability of measuring the particle to be within position $x$ and $x+dx$, we know that the particle "spends an equal amount of time" at positive and negative $x$. So it must be that the mean position is $0$.



                  I also wanted to address some of your notation and understanding of it.



                  It seems like you are familiar with bases. The expectation value of position can be written without specifying any basis:
                  $$langle Xrangle=langlepsi|X|psirangle$$



                  Since we are given the wavefunction in the position basis $psi(x)=langle x|psirangle$, it makes sense to work in the position basis.



                  Therefore, we can use the identity $int|xranglelangle x|dx=1$ to write our expectation value as
                  $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftyint_-infty^inftylanglepsi|xranglelangle x|X|x'ranglelangle x'|psirangle dxdx'$$



                  Then, knowing that $X$ in its own eigenbasis is $langle x|X|x'rangle=x'delta(x'-x)$, the integral becomes
                  $$langle Xrangle=int_-infty^inftypsi^*(x)xpsi(x)dx$$



                  This is the integral you want. You don't want your expectation value inside the integral. Then you have an integral equation you don't want.







                  share|cite|improve this answer














                  share|cite|improve this answer



                  share|cite|improve this answer








                  edited 46 secs ago

























                  answered 17 mins ago









                  Aaron Stevens

                  4,2721624




                  4,2721624



























                       

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