This applet depicts the quantum mechanical solutions to the one-dimensional particle in the box problem. Click on the "L+" to increase the length of the box, and "L-" to decrease the length.
Click on "n+" to increase the quantum number of solution, "n-" to decrease. n=1 is the smallest legitimate quantum number for this problem, though the applet allows n to decrease to 0. When n=0, Ψ is identically zero everywhere, and Ψ*Ψ=0, so that the particle is nowhere in the box, which contradicts the premise that there actually is one particle in the box.
The wavefunction Ψ is colored red, and the probability density Ψ*Ψ is in blue. When the probability density crosses the x-axis, the density is zero, so we have a node. The cool thing about nodes is that a particle can never be there.
© 2004-2011 by Lawrence T. Sein. All rights reserved.
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