61.1k views
1 vote
We can get the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization from the WKB method. Since we use approximation, there should be an error in the system, I know this is not right all the time; in some conditions approximation can yield the real result. So, is there a way to find the ℏ²

correction?

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

The ℏ² correction in Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization derived from the WKB approximation relates to finding higher-order corrections in quantized systems and generally involves advanced perturbation techniques or deeper analysis of quantum mechanics.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student question pertains to how one can find the ℏ² correction in the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization as derived from the WKB approximation.

Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization was an early attempt to explain the energy levels of an electron in an atom, which states that properties like angular momentum are quantized and can only take on certain discrete values, much like the standing wave condition in a circular string, where the length of the wave fits an integer number of half-wavelengths around the string's circumference.

With the advent of quantum mechanics, the Schrödinger equation provided an accurate description of quantum systems and, in certain limits, yielded results akin to those from classical mechanics - a principle known as the correspondence principle.

The WKB method is an approximation technique that helps deal with quantum systems whose exact treatment is mathematically intricate. While the WKB approximation offers a simplified approach, it introduces an error in systems with lower quantum numbers.

The actual ℏ² correction calculation is beyond the scope here and would typically involve more advanced techniques of perturbation theory or a deeper analysis of the Schrödinger equation.

User Adam Eliezerov
by
9.2k points