An electron is confined to a finite well of width 0.5 nm and height 5.0 eV. Use an iterative approach to find the energy of the first ground state and first excited state to three significant figures. give answer in 3 step with explanation at the end of each step and give final answer at the end
Question:
An electron is confined to a finite well of width 0.5 nm and height 5.0 eV. Use an iterative approach to find the energy of the first ground state and first excited state to three significant figures. give answer in 3 step with explanation at the end of each step and give final answer at the end
This is AI generated Response.
Asked by: amu
Created at: 2025-07-26 13:32:54
Final Answer:
RenderedRaw Text
Did you like this answer?
Let's solve for the ground state and first excited state energy of an electron in a **finite potential well** of width \( L = 0.5\, \text{nm} \) and height \( V_0 = 5.0\, \text{eV} \), **using an iterative approach**.
---
## **STEP 1: Write Down the Transcendental Equations**
For a finite well, the energies are found by solving the following equations for even (ground state) and odd (first excited state) solutions:
Let \( E \) be the energy of the state, \( V_0 \) the well depth, and \( L \) the well width.
Define:
- \( k = \sqrt{\frac{2mE}{\hbar^2}} \)
- \( \kappa = \sqrt{\frac{2m(V_0 - E)}{\hbar^2}} \)
The quantization conditions:
- **Even states:** \( k\, L = 2 \tan^{-1} \left( \frac{\kappa}{k} \right) \)
- **Odd states:** \( k\, L = 2 \tan^{-1} \left( \frac{k}{\kappa} \right) \)
Or, more commonly written:
- **Even:** \( \tan\left(\frac{k L}{2}\right) = \frac{\kappa}{k} \)
- **Odd:** \( \tan\left(\frac{k L}{2}\right) = -\frac{k}{\kappa} \)
**Explanation:**
These equations relate the energy \( E \) (via \( k \) and \( \kappa \)) to the width and depth of the well. We need to solve these equations for \( E \).
---
## **STEP 2: Substitute Physical Constants and Simplify Expressions**
We need to express \( k \) and \( \kappa \) in terms of \( E \) (in eV):
- Electron mass \( m = 9.11 \times 10^{-31}\,\text{kg} \)
- Planck's reduced constant \( \hbar = 1.055 \times 10^{-34}\,\text{J}\cdot\text{s} \)
- \( 1\,\text{eV} = 1.602 \times 10^{-19}\,\text{J} \)
- \( L = 0.5\,\text{nm} = 0.5 \times 10^{-9}\,\text{m} \)
Convert all energies to **joules** for calculation.
Let’s define a constant:
\[
\alpha = \frac{2m}{\hbar^2} = \frac{2 \times 9.11 \times 10^{-31}}{(1.055 \times 10^{-34})^2} \approx 1.637 \times 10^{20}\,\text{J}^{-1}\,\text{m}^{-2}
\]
But let's work in **eV and nm** for simplicity. In these units:
\[
k = \frac{\sqrt{2mE}}{\hbar}
\]
\[
\hbar c = 197.3\, \text{eV}\cdot \text{nm}
\]
\[
k = \frac{\sqrt{2m_e E}}{\hbar} = 5.12 \times 10^9 \sqrt{E(\text{eV})}\, \text{m}^{-1}
\]
But more simply, in nm\(^{-1}\):
\[
k = \frac{\sqrt{2 m_e E}}{\hbar}
\]
with
\[
k (\text{nm}^{-1}) = 5.12 \sqrt{E (\text{eV})}
\]
and
\[
\kappa (\text{nm}^{-1}) = 5.12 \sqrt{V_0 - E}
\]
**Explanation:**
We now have all variables in convenient units. The transcendental equations can now be iteratively solved for \( E \) using these expressions for \( k \) and \( \kappa \).
---
## **STEP 3: Iteratively Solve for \( E \) (Numerically)**
**Even (ground state):**
\[
\tan\left(\frac{k L}{2}\right) = \frac{\kappa}{k}
\]
with
\[
k = 5.12 \sqrt{E}
\]
\[
\kappa = 5.12 \sqrt{V_0 - E}
\]
\[
L = 0.5\, \text{nm}
\]
Let \( \theta = \frac{k L}{2} = 1.28 \sqrt{E} \)
So,
\[
\tan(1.28 \sqrt{E}) = \sqrt{\frac{V_0 - E}{E}}
\]
**Let's solve this equation for \( V_0 = 5.0\,\text{eV} \).**
### **Ground State (\( n=1 \))**
Let’s try values of \( E \) between 0 and 5 eV.
#### Try \( E = 1.0\,\text{eV} \):
\[
\tan(1.28 \times 1.0) = \tan(1.28) \approx 3.06
\]
\[
\sqrt{\frac{5 - 1}{1}} = \sqrt{4} = 2
\]
LHS (3.06) > RHS (2), so try a higher \( E \).
#### Try \( E = 1.5\,\text{eV} \):
\[
\tan(1.28 \times \sqrt{1.5}) = \tan(1.28 \times 1.225) = \tan(1.568) \approx 51.2
\]
But that's greater than the earlier value; but let's check calculation:
Wait, the equation is \(\tan(1.28\sqrt{E})\), so for \(E = 1.5\):
\[
\sqrt{1.5} = 1.225
\]
\[
1.28 \times 1.225 = 1.568
\]
\[
\tan(1.568) \approx 51.2
\]
\[
\sqrt{\frac{5 - 1.5}{1.5}} = \sqrt{\frac{3.5}{1.5}} = \sqrt{2.333} = 1.528
\]
Again, LHS much greater than RHS. Try higher \( E \).
But wait, as \( E \) increases, \(\tan(1.28\sqrt{E})\) increases rapidly, so we need to try lower \( E \).
Actually, at very low \( E \), \(\tan(1.28\sqrt{E})\) is small, so let's try \( E = 0.5 \):
\[
\sqrt{0.5} = 0.707
\]
\[
1.28 \times 0.707 = 0.905
\]
\[
\tan(0.905) = 1.27
\]
\[
\sqrt{\frac{5 - 0.5}{0.5}} = \sqrt{9} = 3
\]
Now, LHS (1.27) < RHS (3).
So, as \( E \) increases from 0.5 to 1.0 eV, LHS increases from 1.27 to 3.06, while RHS decreases from 3 to 2.
So, the solution is between \( E = 0.5 \) and \( E = 1.0 \).
Try \( E = 0.75 \):
\[
\sqrt{0.75} = 0.866
\]
\[
1.28 \times 0.866 = 1.108
\]
\[
\tan(1.108) = 1.964
\]
\[
\sqrt{\frac{5 - 0.75}{0.75}} = \sqrt{\frac{4.25}{0.75}} = \sqrt{5.667} = 2.382
\]
LHS (1.964), RHS (2.382) → LHS < RHS.
Try \( E = 0.9 \):
\[
\sqrt{0.9} = 0.949
\]
\[
1.28 \times 0.949 = 1.215
\]
\[
\tan(1.215) = 2.696
\]
\[
\sqrt{\frac{5 - 0.9}{0.9}} = \sqrt{\frac{4.1}{0.9}} = \sqrt{4.556} = 2.136
\]
LHS (2.696) > RHS (2.136). So, the solution is between \( E = 0.75 \) and \( E = 0.9 \).
Try \( E = 0.8 \):
\[
\sqrt{0.8} = 0.894
\]
\[
1.28 \times 0.894 = 1.144
\]
\[
\tan(1.144) = 2.070
\]
\[
\sqrt{\frac{5 - 0.8}{0.8}} = \sqrt{\frac{4.2}{0.8}} = \sqrt{5.25} = 2.291
\]
LHS (2.070), RHS (2.291).
Try \( E = 0.85 \):
\[
\sqrt{0.85} = 0.922
\]
\[
1.28 \times 0.922 = 1.181
\]
\[
\tan(1.181) = 2.336
\]
\[
\sqrt{\frac{5 - 0.85}{0.85}} = \sqrt{\frac{4.15}{0.85}} = \sqrt{4.882} = 2.210
\]
LHS (2.336), RHS (2.210).
So, at \( E = 0.8 \): LHS (2.07) < RHS (2.29)
At \( E = 0.85 \): LHS (2.34) > RHS (2.21)
So, the solution is close to \( E = 0.82-0.84 \).
Try \( E = 0.83 \):
\[
\sqrt{0.83} = 0.911
\]
\[
1.28 \times 0.911 = 1.166
\]
\[
\tan(1.166) = 2.233
\]
\[
\sqrt{\frac{5 - 0.83}{0.83}} = \sqrt{\frac{4.17}{0.83}} = \sqrt{5.024} = 2.243
\]
LHS (2.233), RHS (2.243).
So, very close.
Try \( E = 0.84 \):
\[
\sqrt{0.84} = 0.917
\]
\[
1.28 \times 0.917 = 1.174
\]
\[
\tan(1.174) = 2.280
\]
\[
\sqrt{\frac{5 - 0.84}{0.84}} = \sqrt{\frac{4.16}{0.84}} = \sqrt{4.952} = 2.227
\]
Now, LHS (2.280) > RHS (2.227)
So, solution is between \( E = 0.83 \) and \( 0.84 \), closer to \( 0.83 \).
**Interpolating**:
\[
E_1 \approx 0.83\,\text{eV}
\]
---
### **First Excited State (\( n=2 \)), Odd Solution**
Equation:
\[
\tan\left(1.28\sqrt{E}\right) = -\sqrt{\frac{E}{V_0 - E}}
\]
Try \( E = 2.0 \):
\[
\sqrt{2} = 1.414
\]
\[
1.28 \times 1.414 = 1.811
\]
\[
\tan(1.811) = -3.30
\]
\[
-\sqrt{\frac{2.0}{5.0 - 2.0}} = -\sqrt{\frac{2.0}{3.0}} = -\sqrt{0.667} = -0.816
\]
LHS (-3.30), RHS (-0.816): LHS < RHS. Try higher \( E \).
Try \( E = 3.0 \):
\[
\sqrt{3.0} = 1.732
\]
\[
1.28 \times 1.732 = 2.217
\]
\[
\tan(2.217) = -1.457
\]
\[
-\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} = -\sqrt{1.5} = -1.225
\]
LHS (-1.457), RHS (-1.225): LHS < RHS. Try higher \( E \).
Try \( E = 4.0 \):
\[
\sqrt{4.0} = 2.0
\]
\[
1.28 \times 2.0 = 2.56
\]
\[
\tan(2.56) = -0.547
\]
\[
-\sqrt{\frac{4.0}{1.0}} = -2.0
\]
LHS (-0.547), RHS (-2.0): LHS > RHS. So, LHS passes from less than to greater than
VIPSolutions focuses on clear, step‑by‑step explanations so you can learn quickly. Whether you need an AI‑generated walkthrough or a short hint to get unstuck, each solution is organized for fast reading and easy review later.
Search similar questions, compare approaches, and bookmark the best answers for revision. Our goal is simple: quick, reliable study help that feels natural—not noisy.