Paper 2, Section II, B

Quantum Mechanics
Part IB, 2018

For an electron in a hydrogen atom, the stationary-state wavefunctions are of the form ψ(r,θ,ϕ)=R(r)Ylm(θ,ϕ)\psi(r, \theta, \phi)=R(r) Y_{l m}(\theta, \phi), where in suitable units RR obeys the radial equation

d2Rdr2+2rdRdrl(l+1)r2R+2(E+1r)R=0\frac{d^{2} R}{d r^{2}}+\frac{2}{r} \frac{d R}{d r}-\frac{l(l+1)}{r^{2}} R+2\left(E+\frac{1}{r}\right) R=0

Explain briefly how the terms in this equation arise.

This radial equation has bound-state solutions of energy E=EnE=E_{n}, where En=12n2(n=1,2,3,)E_{n}=-\frac{1}{2 n^{2}}(n=1,2,3, \ldots). Show that when l=n1l=n-1, there is a solution of the form R(r)=rαer/nR(r)=r^{\alpha} e^{-r / n}, and determine α\alpha. Find the expectation value r\langle r\rangle in this state.

Determine the total degeneracy of the energy level with energy EnE_{n}.