Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences

Kalina, Mumbai 400098

P 402 :Quantum Mechanics - I
Mini-test -1 Date : 7 Feb 2024
Duration: 1 Hour Marks: 20
Note : Parts of the same question must be answered together;
else, only the part which appears first will be evaluated

1. Are the following statements True or False? If true, prove the as-
sertion, if false, give an example in support of your answer. (2+2=4
Marks)
d d
(a) The hermitian adjoint of the operator is −
dx dx
TRUE : Hermitian conjugate of A is defined by the relation
hf, Agi = hA† f, gi. L. H. S. can be integrated by parts
Z ∞ Z ∞ Z ∞
∗ dg ∞ df ∗ (x) df
f (x) dx = [f g]−∞ − g dx = − ( )∗ gdx
−∞ dx −∞ dx −∞ dx

d
Thus the hermitian conjugate is − .
dx
(b) If two operators A and B are compatible and operators B and C
are also compatible, then the operators A and C are compatible.
FALSE : Consider the operators A = Px , B = Py and C = x.
The operators satisfy the stated conditions but Px and x are not
compatible.

2. Answer the following : [4+4=8 Marks]

(a) The wavefunction of a particle is given by ψ(x) = Ae−κ|x| where

A and κ > 0 are constants. What is the normalization constant
A? Find the value of c such that the probability of finding the
1
particle in the interval x ∈ [−c, +c] is .
2
Solution:
Z ∞ Z 0 Z ∞ 
2 −2κ|x| 2 2κx −2κx
A e dx = A e dx + e dx
−∞ −∞ 0
1 1 1
= + =
2κ 2κ κ

1
 √
Thus A = κ. The probability in x ∈ [−c, c] is given by
Z c Z 0 Z c 
1 2 2κx −2κx
= | ψ(x) | dx = κ e dx + e dx
2 −c −c 0
1 − e−2κc e−2κc − 1
 
=κ + = 1 − e−2κc
2κ −2κ

1 ln 2
Thus e−2κc = =⇒ c = .
2 2κ
1
(b) At t = 0 a quantum particle is in the state | ψi = √ [| 0i + β |
2
1i] where | 0i and | 1i are orthonormalized eigenstates of the
Hamiltonian with energy E0 and E1 respectively.
(i) What should be the value of β so that the state is normalized?
1
Answer : Since the two states are orthogonal, we have (1 +
2
β 2 ) = 1 so that β 2 = 1, i.e. β = ±1
(ii) Under what condition is the given state with the value of β
calculated in (i) an eigenstate of the Hamiltonian?
If | 0i+ | 1i is an eigenstate of H, we have H(| 0i± | 1i) =
λ(| 0i± | 1i). Using linearity, the lhs is H | 0i + H | 1i =
E0 | 0i + E1 | 1i. Using orthogonality we get λ = E0 = E1 .
Thus the two two states are degenerate.
(iii) What is the state of the particle at a later time t? [Hint :Use
time dependent Schrödinger equation.]
1
| ψ(t)i = √ [| 0ie−iE0 t/~ + β | 1ie−iE1 t/~ ]
2
2
3. Is xe−αx /2 with α > 0 constant an eigenfunction of the operator
p2 + βx2 , where β is constant? If so, determine the value of β in terms
of α and ~. (3 Marks)
Solution: By direct differentiation

2 /2 d2 2 2 2
p2 [xe−αx ] = −~2 2
[xe−αx /2 ] = 3~2 αxe−αx /2 − α2 ~2 x3 e−αx /2
dx
Thus the x3 term would cancel and the given function would become an
eigenfunction of the operator if β = ~2 α2 in which case the eigenvalue
would be 3α~2 .

2
4. Consider a normalized state | ψi. Let the expectation value of the
position operator x̂ in this state be denoted by hxi. Define transla-
tion operator in one dimension by T (a) = exp (−ip̂a/~), where a is a
constant having dimension of length and p̂ is the momentum operator.
Determine the commutator [x̂, T (a)]. Let | ψ 0 i = T (a) | ψi. Show that
hψ 0 | x̂ | ψ 0 i = hxi + a. (5 Marks)
Solution : Use [x, p] = i~ This gives [x, pn ] = ni~pn−1 . Thus
1 1
[x̂, T (a)] = [x̂, , 1 + (−ia/~)p +(−ia/~)2 p2 + . . . + (−ia/~)n pn + . . .
2! n!
1 1
= (−ia/~)(i~) + (−ia/~)2 (2i~p) + . . . + (−ia/~)n n(i~)pn−1 + . . .
2! n!
= a exp (−ip̂a/~) = aT (a)

Thus,

hψ 0 | x̂ | ψ 0 i = hψ | T † x̂T | ψi = hψ | T † (T x + aT ) | ψi = hxi + a

because T † T = I.