Physics 710-711-712

November 16, 2009

Problem Set 5
Problem 1: Do exercise 4.2.1 of the text.
(1)
The possible outcomes are Lz = {1, 0, 1}, which are the eigenvalues of Lz .

Solution:

(2)
Lz |i = 1 |i implies

Solution:

1
|i = 0 .
0
(Note that I have normalized |i!)

Then

0 1 0
1

0

1
1
hLx i = h|Lx |i = 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 = 1 0 0 1 = 0.
2
2
0 1 0
0
0

0 1 0
0 1 0
1
0




1
1
1
2
2

hLx i = h|Lx |i = 1 0 0
0 1 0
1 0 1
1 0 1
0 =
1 = .
2
2
2
0 1 0
0 1 0
0
0
s 
q
1
1
2
Lx =
hL2x i hLx i =
02 = .
2
2

(3)
Solution:

The characteristic equation for Lx is

0
12

0 = det(Lx ) = det 12 12 = 3 ,
1
0

{1, 0, 1}.

The corresponding eigenvectors, |i, then satisfy

12
a + b2
0 a

0 = (Lx )|i = 12 12 b = a2 b + c2
1
b a
c

0
2
2
where we have parameterized the components
of |i by (a b c). For = 1, we can solve

for b and c in terms of a, giving b = 2a and c = a. We then determine a by normalizing

| = 1i:

a
| = 1i = 2a ,
a

1 = h = 1| = 1i = a

2a

a 2a = 4|a|2 ,
a

a=

1
2

(where I have chosen the arbitrary phase to be 1).

= 0 and = 1, gives


1
1

1
1
| = 0i = 0 ,
| = 1i = 2 ,
2
2
1
1

Thus, and doing the same thing for

| = 1i =

1
2 .
2
1

(4)
Solution: The possible outcomes are Lx = {1, 0, 1}, which are the eigenvalues of Lx .
|i is the normalized eigenstate of Lz with eigenvalue Lz = 1, which is

0
|i = 0 .
1
So (here P stands for "probability of"):
2


0 
1

P(Lx = 1)
2 1 0  = ,
4
1 

2

0 



1
1
2

P(Lx = 0) = |h = 0|i| =  1 0 1 0 = ,
2
2
1 

2

0 


1
1
2
P(Lx = 1) = |h = 1|i| =  1 2 1 0 = .
2
4

1 


1
= |h = 1|i| =  1
2
2

(5)
Solution:

1
L2z =

the possible outcomes are L2z = {0, 1}.

1
An eigenbasis of the L2z = 1 eigenspace is {|ai, |bi} with


1
0

|ai = 0 ,
|bi = 0 .
0
1
Therefore, upon measuring L2z = 1, the state collapses to
|i | 0 i =

(|aiha| + |bihb|)|i
.
|(|aiha| + |bihb|)|i|

But

1

[|aiha| + |bihb|] |i =
0 1
0

0

0 + 0 0
1

1
1
0
1

1
1
1
1

= 0
+ 0 =
1
1
0 ,
2
2
2
2
0
1
2
2

has norm

v
u
u
u1
t 1
2

1

1
3

=
,
0
2
0

2
2
2

so


1
1
1
1
1
0 = 0 .
| 0 i =
3/2 2
3
2
2
The probability of L2z = +1 is
P(L2z = 1)

= h| (|aiha| + |bihb|) |i = |ha|i|2 + |hb|i|2


2 
2




1
1

1 

1 
1 1
3




=  1 0 0
1  + 0 0 1
1  = + = .

2
2
4
2
4


2 
2 

If we measured Lz the posible outcomes are the eigenvalues Lz , {0, 1}, with probabilities

2






0 2

1 
1
1




P(Lz = 1) =
0  = .
1 0 0 | i =  1 0 0

3
 3
2 
P(Lz = 0)


=  0




0 2  1

1 0 | i =  0
 3

P(Lz = 1)




0 2  1
1 | i =  0
 3

2


1 
 = 0.

0
0 
2
2


1 
2
1 0  = .
3
2 

(6)
Solution:

In the Lz eigenbasis

1
|Lz = 1i = 0 ,
0

0
|Lz = 0i = 1 ,
0

0
|Lz = 1i = 0 ,
1

write the unknown state as

a

|i = b .
c
Then
1
P(Lz = 1) =
4

P(Lz = 1) =

1
2

P(Lz = 1) =

1
4

2


a 

b  = |a|2 ,
0 0
c 

2

a 



2
|hLz = 0|i| =  0 1 0 b  = |b|2 ,

c 

2




a 
2


|hLz = 1|i| =  0 0 1
b  = |c|2 .

c 



2
|hLz = 1|i| =  1


The most general solution to these three equations is then

a=

1
b = ei2 ,
2

1 i1
e ,
2

c=

1 i3
e ,
2

for some arbitrary phases i , which gives the desired answer.

The i phase factors are not irrelevant. For example

P(Lx = 0)

i1 2
 i

2
e 1

1 e i 
ei3 
2  = 

0 1
2e
2 2 2 2

2

ei3


1
1 ei(3 1 ) ei(3 1 ) + 1
ei3 =
8



 1
2
= |h = 0|i| =  1
 2
=
=

1 i1
e ei3 ei1
8
1
(1 cos(3 1 )) ,
4

so something measurable (a probability) depends on the difference of the phases.

Problem 2: Do exercise 4.2.2 of the text.

Solution:
Z

hP i = h|P |i =
dxh|xihx|P |i



Z
Z
d(x)
d

(x) = i~
dx (x)
=
dx (x) i~
dx
dx

Z



i~
i~
d

=
(x)2 = 2  = 0
dx
2 dx
2
if 0 as |x| .
Alternatively, use the k-basis:
Z
Z
hP i = h|P |i =
dkh|kihk|P |i =

But

since (x) is real.

1
(k) =
2

dx eikx (x),

dx eikx (x) = (k)

So
Z
hP i =

dk ~k (k)(k) =

dk ~k(k)(k).

and under the change of variables k k, this becomes

Z
hP i =
dk ~(k)(k)(k) = hP i,

and so hP i = 0.

dk ~k (k)(k).

1
(k) = hk|i =
dx hk|xihx|i =
2

therefore

dk ~k h|kihk|i =

Problem 3: Do exercise 2.4.3 of the text.

Solution:
 
E
D
 
eip0 x/~ P eip0 x/~


E Z 


d  ip0 x/~

dx eip0 x/~ (x) (i~)
dx heip0 x/~ |xihx|P eip0 x/~ =
e
(x)
dx



Z
ip
d
0 ip0 x/~
i~
dx (x)eip0 x/~
e
(x) + eip0 x/~
~
dx

Z
Z
d
dx (x)
dx (x) p0 (x) i~
dx


 Z
Z
dx h|xihx|P |i = p0 h|i + h|P |i = p0 + hP i.
dx h|xihx|i +
p0

Z
=
=
=
=