A New Model Course in Applied Quantum Physics
E.F. Redish, R.N. Steinberg, M.C. Wittmann

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Choose a potential well

Square Well  |  Stepped Well  |  Ramp Well  |  Asymmetric Well

(Macintosh users: Users of Macintosh OS 9 must download HotJava browser from Sun Microsystems. Users of OS X version 10.3 should be able to use the Safari browser with no problems.)

Instructions:

For each potential well, enter values for the energy in a text box.

Choose "Show Psi" (or hit return) to graph the wavefunction.

You can step (in large or small numerical steps) and see how the wavefunction calculated by the computer changes.

There are links to the ground state and first excited state of each well at the bottom of each page. Click on these links only after you have explored the wavefunctions of the system at different energies of your own choosing.

Additional information about physlets can be found at the Davidson College site (WWW).