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General Structure of Wave Mechanics (Ch. 5) : Product Dot DX U U U U J I X U Ions Eigenfunct
General Structure of Wave Mechanics (Ch. 5) : Product Dot DX U U U U J I X U Ions Eigenfunct
General Structure of Wave Mechanics (Ch. 5) : Product Dot DX U U U U J I X U Ions Eigenfunct
o
) (
) ( ) , (
| |
) ( :
* *
/
*
c
c
= >= <
=
= >= >=< <
} }
= = =
= >= >=< <
}
o
) ( ) (
| |
) ( :
*
P460 - math concepts 3
Degeneracy (Ch. 5-4)
If two different eigenfunctions have the same eigenvalue they
are degenerate (related to density of states)
any linear combination will have the same eigenvalue
usually pick two linear combinations which are orthogonal
can be other operators which have only some specific linear
combinations being eigenfunctions. Choice may depend on
this (or on what may break the degeneracy)
example from V=0
) ( ) (
j i j i
j j i i
u u a u u O
au Ou au Ou
| o | o + = +
= =
0 ) ( : ,
0 cos sin : cos , sin
2
, , cos , sin
*
2 2
=
=
=
}
}
dx e e orthogonal e e
kxdx kx orthogonal kx kx
m
k
E e e kx kx
ikx ikx ikx ikx
ikx ikx
P460 - math concepts 4
Degeneracy (Ch. 5-4)
Parity and momentum operators do not commute
and so cant have the same eigenfunction
two different choices then depend on whether you want an
eigenfunction of Parity or of momentum
momentum e e
Parity kx kx
ikx ikx
,
cos , sin
P
x
i P p Pp p P
x
x
i x P p
x
x
i
x
x
i P x p P
op op op
op
op
c
c
= =
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
=
2 ] , [
) (
)) ( (
) (
)
) (
( )) ( (
2 2 2
2 2 2
2 2
min min
2
min
] , [
4
1
) ( ) (
] , [
4
1
0 ] , [ ) (
> < > A A
> < > > >< <
> > < + > < + > =<
B A i B A
V U i V U
V V U i U I
P460 - math concepts 7
Uncertainty Relations -- Example
take momentum and position operators
in position space
that x and p dont commute, and the value of the commutator,
tells us directly the uncertainty on their expectation values
i x p xp px
x
x i i x
x
i px
x
x i xp
x
i p x x
op op
= =
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
= =
] , [
2
) (
2
1
] , [
4
1
] , [
4
1
) ( ) (
2 2
2 2 2
H
i
H
i t
H
i t
= =
c
c
=
c
c
HA A H H H
T * * *
) ( = =
| | A H
i
t
A
A
dt
d
dx AH
i
dx HA
i
t
A
A
dt
d
t
t
t
t
,
* *
+
c
c
= > <
+
c
c
= > <
} }
P460 - math concepts 9
Time Dependence of Operators II
so in some sense just by looking at the operators (and not
necessarily solving S.Eq.) we can see how the expectation
values changes.
if A doesnt depend on t and [H,A]=0 <A> doesnt change
and its observable is a constant of the motion
homework has H(t); lets first look at H without t-dependence
and look at the t-dependence of the x expectation value
| | A H
i
t
A
A
dt
d
t
t
,
+
c
c
= > <
) (
2
2
x V
m
p
H + =
| |
| | | | | | | |
m
p
x
dt
d
p
i
p x p x p p x p x x V
x x V
m
p i
x H
i
x
dt
d
=
= + = =
(
+ = =
2
, , , 0 ), (
), (
2
,
2
2
P460 - math concepts 10
Time Dependence of Operators III
and look at the t-dependence of the p expectation value
rearrange giving
like you would see in classical physics
| |
| |
dx
dV
i dx
d
i
V V
dx
d
i
p V V p Vp pV
x V p
i
p x V
m
p i
p H
i
p
dt
d
= =
=
=
(
+ = =
) (
) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ,
), (
2
,
2
| |
dt
x dV
x
dt
d
m and
dt
x dV
p
dt
d
dx
dV
i
x V p
) (
) (
) ( ,
2
2
=
= =