We examine the Stark effect (the second-order shift in the energy spectrum
due to an external constant force) for two 1-dimensional model quantum
mechanical systems described by linear potentials, the so-called quantum
bouncer (defined by V(z) = Fz for z>0 and V(z) infinite for z<0) and the
symmetric linear potential (given by V(z) = F|z|). We show how straightforward
use of the most obvious properties of the Airy function solutions and simple
Taylor expansions give closed form results for the Stark shifts in both
systems. These exact results are then compared to other approximation
techniques, such as perturbation theory and WKB methods. These expressions add
to the small number of closed-form descriptions available for the Stark effect
in model quantum mechanical systems.Comment: 15 pages. To appear in Eur. J. Phys. Needs Institute of Physics
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