Question related to a 3D finite spherical well

In summary, the conversation discusses a problem involving a particle in a spherical well with specific conditions for the potential function. The focus is on finding the possible bound states, with a particular interest in the case of l=0 in the radial equation. After solving the equation, it was found that there is a transcendental equation involving sinθ and θ, and a result of l=ktan(ka) was obtained. The conversation also touches on the possibility of there being no bound states if the potential is too small, and the difference in bound states between the 1D and 3D cases.
  • #1
ClaireBear1596
9
0
I have a particle in a spherical well with the conditions that V(r) = 0 is r < a, and V(r) = V0 if r ≥ a.
In this problem we are only considering the l=0 in the radial equation.
After solving this I found that in the region 0<r<a, u(r)=Bsin(kr) (k=√2mE/hbar), and in the other region, u(r)=Bexp(-la) (l=√2m(E+V0/hbar). I was supposed to show that in order to find E I needed to solve a transcendental equation of the form sinθ=±ςθ, however my result was l=ktan(ka), so I am unsure what to do with this.

Also, I was wondering why is it that there is a possibility of there being no bound states if V0 is too small? And how would I go about finding this minimum potential?

Thanks!
 
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  • #2
ClaireBear1596 said:
u(r)=Bsin(kr)
is a little hard to understand. Could you show the steps you took to find it ?
 
  • #3
BvU said:
is a little hard to understand. Could you show the steps you took to find it ?
Sorry, I actually figured out the problem with that part of my question. I still don't understand however why it is that there will always be a bound state in the 1D case of a (finite) well, whereas there will not always be one with the 3D case?
 

Related to Question related to a 3D finite spherical well

1. What is a 3D finite spherical well?

A 3D finite spherical well is a type of potential well that is shaped like a sphere and has a finite depth. It is used in quantum mechanics to model the behavior of a particle confined within a spherical region.

2. How is the potential energy calculated in a 3D finite spherical well?

The potential energy in a 3D finite spherical well is calculated using the Schrödinger equation, which takes into account the shape and depth of the well as well as the mass and energy of the particle.

3. What are the properties of a particle in a 3D finite spherical well?

A particle in a 3D finite spherical well has quantized energy levels, meaning that it can only have certain discrete energies. It also exhibits wave-like behavior, with the probability of finding the particle at a particular location described by a wavefunction.

4. How does the size of the well affect the behavior of the particle?

The size of the well affects the energy levels of the particle, with larger wells having more energy levels and smaller wells having fewer energy levels. This also affects the spacing between energy levels and the likelihood of the particle being found at a given location.

5. What are the real-life applications of a 3D finite spherical well?

3D finite spherical wells have various applications, such as modeling the behavior of electrons in atoms and molecules, studying the properties of quantum dots, and simulating the behavior of particles in nuclear and atomic physics experiments.

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