If a particle in a rigid box has a ground state energy of 1 eV, how much higher in energy is the next state?
A)2 eV
B)4 eV
C)3 eV
D)5 eV
E)1 eV

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a rigid box, the energy levels are quantized and proportional to the square of the quantum number (n^2). The ground state (n=1) has energy 1 eV. The next state (n=2) has energy proportional to 2^2 = 4, so it is 4 times the ground state energy, which is 4 eV. The difference is 4 eV - 1 eV = 3 eV.

If a Particle in a Rigid Box Has a Ground