3.

7 Time Reversal Invariance 105

is inmiant under t -+ -t if the force F is independent of the velocity.

Note that the velocity v = ( d r / d t ) changes sign upon time reversal,
and so does the angular momentum L = r x p. So we are back at the
popular formulation that if we make a movie of a classical mechanical
system, and run it backwards, then it will also look like physical reality.
This does not hold in the presence of a magnetic field H because
the Lorentz force (e/c)(v x H) changes sign if t + -t. However, if
we simultaneously reverse the field H -+ -H, invariance is restored (it
is consistent with reversing the current in the coil which produces the
field).
In quantum mechanics, taking the complex conjugate of both sides
of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation

(3.36)

and assuming that 3c is real17, we get

(3.37)

which tells us that $* develops in the negative time direction the same
way as 91, develops in the positive time direction. This does not influ-
ence the probability density [$I2 = [$*I2 but reverses currents which
are proportional to 9($*V$). Orbital angular momenta are similarly
reversed.
Taking the complex conjugate of the eigenvalue equation %+n =
En91,n, we get
%$: =En$; (3.38)
i.e., $* is also an eigenstate, and with the same eigenvalue as $n. It
may happen that we find $* 11 $ in which case we learned nothing new.
However, if +* +,
is linearly independent of we can draw the conclusion
that the energy level in question must be degenerate.
Actually, it is perfectly possible that this does not add anything new
to what we already know from studying the spatial symmetries. For in-
stance, the degeneracy of the pstates with cpdependences (&', 1,.-*")
"This~&nountsto stating that the external magnetic field is zero. At the end of
the Section, we discuss complex Hamiltonians.