Quantum Mechanics I Solutions 1.

HS 2012 Prof. Ch. Anastasiou

Exercise 1.

Observables and measurements [20 points] [1 point]

(a) What is the denition of an observable in quantum mechanics?

Solution.

A quantum mechanical observable is an operator that acts on the Hilbert space containing the

state-kets of the system in question, i.e. A : H H, which is hermitian (or self-adjoint) w.r.t the inner product of the Hilbert space H, A = A. This ensures that eigenvalues and thus measurement outcomes of the observable are real.

(b) Let H be a two-dimensional Hilbert space with orthonormal basis states |1 and |2 . Among the operators A through F , pick the ones that are observables. [3 points] A |1 = |1 , A |2 = |2 , C |1 = |2 , C |2 = |1 , E |1 =
Solution.
i 3

B |1 = 2 |1 , B |2 = 0, D |1 = i |2 , D |2 = i |1 ,

|2 , E |2 =

i 3

|1 2 |2 , F |1 = |1 |2 , F |2 = |1 + |2

We write the operators in matrix form w.r.t. the basis {|1 , |2 }: A= D= 0 i 1 0 i 0 0 1 ,B= ,E= 0
i 3

2 0

0 0
i 3

,C= ,F =

0 1 1 1

1 0 1 1

, (S.1) .

By comparing to the adjoint (transpose and take the complex conjugate), we nd that A, B, C and E are hermitian and can therefore describe observables.

(c) When do we call two observables A1 and A2 compatible ?

Solution. space.

[1 point]

When [A1 , A2 ] = A1 A2 A2 A1 = 0, i.e. the commutator vanishes on any state in the Hilbert

(d) Among the observables you found in part (b), nd one pair of compatible observables and one pair of incompatible observables. [3 points] If you were not able to answer part (b), name a pair of compatible and a pair of incompatible observables that you know from class. [2 points]
Solution. A is the identity and commutes with all the other potential observables B, C, E . So A and any of the three other operators B, C, E describe compatible observables. All the other commutators ([B, C ], [B, E ], [C, E ]) are nonzero, i.e. any pair among these describe incompatible observables.
1 An example for compatible observables from class would be Sz and S 2 for the spin- 2 systems we considered, p2 2m

or e.g. the free Hamiltonian for a massive particle H = p.

that commutes with the momentum operator

Examples of incompatible operators include Sx , Sy and most famously p and x.

(e) Is the following statement true? When two observables are compatible, eigenvectors of the rst operator are also eigenvectors of the second operator. Motivate your answer. [2 points] 1

Solution.

No. We know that there exists a basis in which both observables are diagonal, i.e. for which

each basis vector is an eigenvector of both operators. But this is not true for any eigenbasis of one operator. It is only true if the eigenvalues of the operators are not degenerate. To use the spin- 1 system as 2 an example, S 2 and Sx are compatible operators, but in the basis {| } (w.r.t. Sz ), only S 2 is diagonal.

(f) For one of the operators that is compatible with operator C from part (b), nd a basis of simultaneous eigenvectors of C and the operator of your choice. [5 points]
Solution. C is only compatible with A, the identity. Any rotation of basis will leave A invariant, so we just need to diagonalise C . det(C ) = 2 1 , 1,2 = 1 . (S.2) Solving the two eigenvector equations (C 1,2 )v1,2 = 0 , or, in bra-ket notation: 1 |C+ = (|1 |2 ) , 2 In this basis, both A and C are diagonal: A= 1 0 0 1 , 1 |C = (|1 + |2 ) . 2 (S.4) we nd 1 v1 = 2 1 1 1 , v2 = 2 1 1 (S.3)

C=

1 0

0 1

(S.5)

1 |1 + |2 , with C. Find the general form for the solution (g) Consider the state | = 2 for such that | is a normalized state. [1 point]

Solution.

Since, by assumption, i|j = ij for i, j = 1, 2, we nd | = 1 1| + 2| 2 1 |1 + |2 2 = 1 ! + ||2 = 1 4 = 3 i e , 2 (S.6)

with some arbitrary phase .

(h) What is the denition of an expectation value of an operator O with respect to an arbitrary state | ? [1 point]
Solution. O = | O | .

(i) Find the expectation value of the operator C with respect to the state | . If you were not able to solve for , keep it as a free parameter in your answer. [3 points]
Solution. C

1 2

0 1

1 0

1 2

1 3 = ( + ) = Re() = cos( ) 2 2

(S.7)

Exercise 2.

Virial theorem and uncertainty principle [20 points]

In this exercise you need to use some of the properties of observables and their spectrum (i.e. of their eigenvalues) introduced in earlier exercises. The Hamiltonian is the operator corresponding to the total energy of the system and it has a spectrum consisting of dierent energy levels. Mathematically, if | is an eigenstate of the Hamiltonian H with energy E , then H | = E | . (a) Show that for any operator A | [H, A] | = 0.
Solution. , [H, A] = , HA , AH = H , A , AE = E, A E , A = E , A E , A = 0 as E is a real number (eigenvalue of self-adjoint operator).
p N is the (b) Suppose that H = T + V , where T = 2 m is the kinetic energy, and V = kx potential energy of the system (k R, N N). By using part a) with A = x and A = xp respectively, show that
2

[4 points]

i) p = 0 ii) 2 T = N V

[3 points] [3 points]

where A denotes the expectation value of the operator A with respect to the state | . iii) Compute the variance (p)2 = p2 p | .
Solution. H = T + V = p2 /2m + kxN (i) From part a) with A=x we have: , [H, x] = 0 1 2 1 [H, x] = [p , x] + k[xN , x] = (i p) 2m m 1 (i ) , p = 0 p = 0 m (ii) Similarly with A=xp and using [H, xp] = 1 2 1 [p , xp] + k[xN , xp] = 2p[p, xp] + kx[xN 1 , xp] + k[x, xp]xN 1 2m 2m = Hence , [H, xp] = 2i T + iN V = 0 2 T =N V (iii) We know that H = T + V and H = , H = E , = E T + V =E i 2 p + kN xN i m
2

of the momentum operator p in the state [4 points]

 T (1 + Hence

2 NE ) = E, T = N N +2
2

(p)2 = p2 p

= 2m T =

2mN E N +2

1 (c) Now suppose that V = 2 m 2 x2 , hence we have a simple harmonic oscillator with angular frequency and total energy E . Show that [4 points]

(p)2 (x)2 =

E2 . 2

(d) Relating the result from (c) to the uncertainty principle for x and p, what can you deduce about the energy E of the state | ? [2 points]
Solution. (x)2 = x2 x
2

, x2 =

2 4E V = m 2 m(N + 2) 2

To obtain x , we put A = p in part a). Then 1 m 2 [x2 , p] = 0 2 hence mi 2 x = 0 x = 0 2 4E (x)2 = x2 = V = m 2 m(N + 2) 2 and using N = 2 for this Hamiltonian (as the potential is quadratic in X ), (p)(x) = 4E 2mN E E = N + 2 m(N + 2) 2

Since we know that for any state, (p)(x) 2 , we can nd a lower bound on the energy E , E . 2

This is indeed satised by the energy eigenvalues of the harmonic oscillator En = n + 1 2 for n 0 .

Exercise 3.

Particle in a box in quantum mechanics [20 points]

A particle is enclosed in a one dimensional rectangular box with impenetrable walls. Inside it can move freely (see the gure).

The system can be described by a wave function (x) satisfying the Schr odinger equation 2 + V (x) (x) = E (x). 2m x2 [7 points]
2

(a) Find the eigenfunctions and the possible values of the energy.

Hint. You could make the following Ansatz: n (x) = A sin nx a , n N but you have to show that it satises the Schr odinger equation with the corresponding boundary conditions, and A should be determined from the normalization condition.

(b) Compute fn (x) = |n (x)|2 . What is its physical meaning? (c) Draw fn (x) for n = 1, 2, 3.
3 1 a, 4 a]? (d) What is the probability to nd the particle in [ 4

[1 point] [1 point] [3 points] [1 point]

(e) What is the physical meaning of the position operator?

(f) Compute the expectation value with respect to n for the position operator and compare it with your draws. [3 points] (g) Compute the variance (see Ex. 2 (b)) with respect to n of the position operator. [3 points]
Hint.
a 0

dxx sin 2nx = 2a a n .

(h) The variance of the position for the classical counterpart, a particle uniformly distributed 2 [1 point] in [0, a], is a 12 . What can you conclude?

Solution.

The solution to this exercise is attached on page 8.

Exercise 4.

Stern-Gerlach experiment with spin-one particles [9 points]

In this exercise we will look at the Stern-Gerlach experiment with spin-one particles. Let us denote a particle with spin in the n -direction by |n , i where i {+, , 0} denotes the spin and n the direction of measurement. They are eigenvectors of the corresponding spin measurement observables n S , i.e. n S |n , = |n , i , n S |n , 0 = 0. (a) Give the matrix representation of the n S operator in the {|n , + , |n , 0 , |n , } basis. [1 points]
Solution. Of course, it is just 1 n S 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . 1

(b) It has been measured experimentally that | x, i|z, j |2 = and Sz be compatible operators?
Solution. No, since they have dierent eigenvectors.

1 3

for all i, j {+, , 0}. Can Sx [2 points]

If they were compatible then we must have

| x, i|z, j |2 ij .

We now want to look at the situation where we have three detectors in a row, the rst and the last being in the z -direction. We can use these detectors as lters by simply blocking particles with a given spin after they passed the detector. The situation is depicted as follows + , 0 Unpolarized particles z n z

where means that the channel is blocked and no particle can go trough. (c) Compute the probability for a particle to pass through the three detectors if the second one is in the x-direction, i.e. for n =x . Do you expect this result to change with n ? [2 points]
Solution. The probability is simply given by 1 1 1 | z, |x, 0 x, 0|z, + |2 = | z, |x, 0 |2 | x, 0|z, + |2 = , 3 3 27 using | x, i|z, j |2 =
1 3

for all i, j {+, , 0}, and adding a factor of 1/3 for the probability of an unpolarized

particle to go through the rst detector. And of course this result will change with n , since for n =z the total probability must be zero.

(d) What is the probability for a particle to pass through the three detectors if we open all the channels of the second detector? Prove your result using the bra-ket formalism for arbitrary n . [2 points] 6

Solution. Although we open more channels the result is that no particle can go trough the three detectors in a row. It can be seen by writting the full amplitude as z, |n , + n , +|z, + + z, |n , 0 n , 0|z, + + z, |n , n , |z, + = z, | (|n , + n , + | + |n , 0 n , 0 | + |n , n , |) |z, + = z, |z, + = 0, using the fact that the eigenvectors of n S form a complete basis.

(e) Prove that the probability for a particle to pass through the three detectors when we open two channels (let us say the + and channels) of the second detector is equal to the probability with only one channel open. Compute with arbitrary n . [2 points]
Solution. The result is exactly the same as for only one open channel! This can be seen by writing

| z, | (|n , + n , +| + |n , n , 0|) |z, + |2 = | z, | (1 |n , n , |) |z, + |2 = | z, |n , n , |z, + |2 .

Solution to Exercise 3.

Solution to Exercise 3.

Solution to Exercise 3.

10

Solution to Exercise 3.

11