[Physics] Momentum in time independent schrodinger equation

momentumquantum mechanicsschroedinger equationwavefunction

In the time independent Schrödinger equation I have read that the wave function is $$\psi(x)=\mathrm e^{-iEt/\hbar}$$
This means that $$\rho(x,t)=|\psi(x,t)|^2=|\psi(x)|^2=ρ(x)$$, that is, $\rho$ is not a function of $t$. That's why it is called stationary state.

Therefore,
$$\left<x\right>=\int \psi^*x\,\psi \mathrm{d}x=\int \psi(x)^*x\,\psi(x) \mathrm{d}x=\text{constant}$$
and hence
$$\left<p\right>=0$$
, the average value of momentum is zero.

What does this mean? Does this mean particle is in rest?

I think this is something like probability of going in one direction is equal to the probability of going in opposite direction, like $MV-MV =0$. Is this sense right? Or something else is happening?

Best Answer

Your reasoning in the OP is correct, except when you say that the particle is at rest. Recall that in QM the exact position of a particle, and its state of motion, are not well defined. This means that it doesn't make sense to say that a particle is at rest. You could only say that a particle is at rest if $$ \Delta p\equiv 0 $$ but, because of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, $\Delta p$ is always positive.

On the other hand, the correct statement is that it has an equal probability to be moving to the right and to be moving to the left, and thus, on average, its mean velocity is zero. You observed this in the OP, and this is the correct interpretation of $\langle p\rangle=0$.