Though the particle in a box (infinite potential well) seems like a very unrealistic potential, it can actually be used to explain a bit about how humans see. the important light-absorbing molecule in human eyes is called retinal. retinal consists of a chain of carbon atoms, roughly 1.5×10−9m long. an electron in this long chain molecule behaves very much like a particle in a box.
1) find the wavelength λn of the photon that must be absorbed by an electron to move it from the nth state of a box to the (n+1)th state. assume that the box has length l and that the electron has mass m.
express your answer in terms of n, l, planck's constant (divided by 2π) ℏ, the speed of light c, and m.