Quantum Mechanics

Derivations and Proofs

A Mathematical Primer

By Indrajit Kamalanathan
University of Leipzig
October 28, 2016

Contents
1 Introduction

1.1

Inner Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.2

Outer Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 Operators

2.1

Hermitian Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.2

Integral Methods For The Hermitian Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.3

Momentum Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.4

Energy Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.5

Time Evolution Unitary Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 Commutator Relations

3.1

General Idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3.2

Pauli Matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 Schrodinger Equations

4.1

Time Independent Schrodinger Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.2

Time Dependent Schrodinger Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5 Expectation Values
5.1

Ehrenferst Theorem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3
3

PROOFS AND DERIVATIONS IN QUANTUM MECHANICS

Indrajit Kamalanathan

Introduction

This primer on mathematical aspects of quantum mechanics uses the Diracs Bra-Ket notation
throughout the whole booklet.

A discrete quantum mechanical system is represented as a superposition of states, i.e.,

|Xi i =

i |xi i

(1.1)

i=1

The term |Xi i is known as the ket and it is also represented by column matrices,

x1

x2


|Xi i = x3

..
.

xn

(1.2)

Every ket has a dual called the bra, which is represented as the complex conjugate of the ket vector
and by column matrices,
hXi | =


hxi |i = x1 x2 x3

xn

(1.3)

i=1

1.1

Inner Products

For an arbitrary discrete state |i i given as,

|i i =

ai |xi i

(1.4)

i=1

where ai C is the probability amplitude of the orthonormal basis state |xi i. Then the inner
product of |i i with itself is given by,
hj |i i = hj |

X
j=1

aj

ai |xi i

(1.5)

i=1

aj ai hxj |xi i

(1.6)

i,j

But we know the given state |i i is orthogonal, so the inner product hxj |xi i must satisfy the
conditions of orthogonality, i.e.

PROOFS AND DERIVATIONS IN QUANTUM MECHANICS

hxj |xi i = ij =

if i = j

if i 6= j

Indrajit Kamalanathan

(1.7)

The inner product can then be wriiten as,

hj |i i =

aj ai ij

(1.8)

i,j

where ij is the Kronecker delta. If i = j in the above equation, then it reduces to

hj |i i =

aj ai

(1.9)

i,j

This is how inner products are computed. The inner product of two orthonormal states can be
used to compute the probability of finding a quantum system prepared in one state and measuring
it through the other state. For example, a quantum system consisting of two electrons prepared in
the spin-up and spin-left direction, the inner product would give us the probability of finding the
spin-left electron passing through the spin-up electron. In simple words, the inner products gives
us a real number.

1.2

Outer Products

Unlike the inner product, the outer product two arbitary states results in a matrix. Consider an
orthonormal quantum mechanical state |i i is given by
1

|i i =
xi |i i = i2

i=1
2
X

(1.10)

Then the outer product can be computed as follows,

|i ihj | =

(1.11)

PROOFS AND DERIVATIONS IN QUANTUM MECHANICS

Operators

2.1

Hermitian Operator

2.2

Integral Methods For The Hermitian Operator

2.3

Momentum Operator

2.4

Energy Operator

2.5

Time Evolution Unitary Operator

Commutator Relations

3.1

General Idea

3.2

Pauli Matrices

Schrodinger Equations

4.1

Time Independent Schrodinger Equation

4.2

Time Dependent Schrodinger Equation

5
5.1

Expectation Values
Ehrenferst Theorem

Indrajit Kamalanathan