5.

61 Fall 2007

Lecture #10

page 1

THE POSTULATES OF QUANTUM MECHANICS

(time-independent) Postulate 1: The state of a system is completely described by a

wavefunction r , t . Postulate 2: All measurable quantities (observables) are described by Hermitian linear operators. Postulate 3: The only values that are obtained in a measurement of an

( )

. The observable A are the eigenvalues an of the corresponding operator A with measurement changes the state of the system to the eigenfunction of A eigenvalue an.
Postulate 4: If a system is described by a normalized wavefunction

is then the average value of an observable corresponding to A

d a = *A
Implications and elaborations on Postulates #1] (a) The physically relevant quantity is
2

* r, t r, t = r, t

( ) ( )

( )

probability density at time t and position r

(b)

r , t must be normalized

( )

* d = 1
(c)

r , t must be well behaved

( )

5.61 Fall 2007

Lecture #10

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(i) (ii) (iii) #2] (a)

Single valued and continuous Finite

Example:

Particle in a box eigenfunctions of H

x x =E x H n n n
But if true. e.g.

() ()

()

()

2 x = a

12

n x sin a

is not an eigenfunction of the operator, then the statement is not

n x above with momentum operator

12 n x d d 2 n n x = i! n x = i! sin p dx dx a a 2 1 2 n x pn sin a a

()

()

()

(b)

In order to create a Q.M. operator from a classical observable, use

= x and x
e.g.

x = i! p

d and replace in classical expression. dx

1 2 1 !2 d 2 = p = K.E. = p p (1D) 2m 2m 2 m dx 2 !2 2 2 2 = + + (3D) 2m x 2 y 2 z 2

( )( )

Another 3D example: Angular momentum

L=rp

5.61 Fall 2007

Lecture #10

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d d lx = ypz zp y = i! y z dy dz d d l y = zpx xpz = i! z x dz dx d d lz = xp y ypx = i! x y dx dy

(c) Linear means

f x + g x = Af x + Ag x A cf x = cA f x A
(d) Hermitian means that

() () () () ()

()

and

d 2 d = 2 A 1 1 A

( )

are real. This is important!! and implies that the eigenvalues of A Observables should be represented as real numbers.
Proof:

= a Take A
d = A A

( )

a d = a a = a*

( )

( ) d

true only if a is real (e) i.e. Eigenfunctions of Hermitian operators are orthogonal if

= a A m m m

= a and A n n n

5.61 Fall 2007

Lecture #10

page 4

then Proof:

n d = 0

if m n

an m n d = am n m d

d n d = n A m m A

(a

am

n d = 0
n d = 0
= 0 if n m

(a

am

= 0 if n=m Example: Particle in a box

1 4

As much + as - area
140130120

000aaadxdxdx

3
Eigenfunctions H of
1 3

1
0

1 2

are normalized, then they are orthonormal In addition, if eigenfunctions of A

n d = mn
Krnecker delta

5.61 Fall 2007

Lecture #10

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1 if m = n (normalization) mn = 0 if m n (orthogonality)
#3] If

is an eigenfunction of the operator, then its easy, e.g.

measurement of energy yields value
n

= E H n n n
But what if e.g.

is not an eigenfunction of the operator?

could be a superposition of eigenfunctions

= c11 + c22
where

= a A 1 1 1

= a and A 2 2 2
2 2

Then a measurement of A returns either a1 or a2 , with probability c1 or c2

respectively, and making the measurement changes the state to either 1 or 2 .

measure

a1

1 (probability c12 )
2 ) 2 (probability c2

a2 2a

#4]

This connects to the expectation value (i)

, then A = a If n is an eigenfunction of A n n n
a = n A n d = an n n d = an

a = an

only value possible

5.61 Fall 2007

Lecture #10

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(ii)

If = c11 + c22 as above

d = a = A

(c

1 1

c + c d = c 2 a + c 2 a + c22 A 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2

) (

c12 is the probability of measuring a1 <a > = average of possible values weighted by their probabilities