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Ps 2

This document contains an assignment for a quantum mechanics course. It includes 6 problems related to quantum states, operators, and linear algebra. Students are instructed to complete the assignment individually, but are allowed to consult classmates and seniors to ensure they understand the concepts. During the next tutorial session, the teaching assistant will randomly call on a student to solve problems on the board.

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Muskan Bura
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40 views2 pages

Ps 2

This document contains an assignment for a quantum mechanics course. It includes 6 problems related to quantum states, operators, and linear algebra. Students are instructed to complete the assignment individually, but are allowed to consult classmates and seniors to ensure they understand the concepts. During the next tutorial session, the teaching assistant will randomly call on a student to solve problems on the board.

Uploaded by

Muskan Bura
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

PHY-403 Quantum Mechanics-I 11.08.2023


Assignment 2

Notes:
1. Some problems will be discussed on 17. 08. 2023.

2. Please make sure that you do the assignment by yourself. You can consult your class-
mates and seniors and ensure you understand the concept. However, do not copy
assignments from others.

3. During the tutorial session, TA will randomly ask a student to come to the board to
solve tutorial problems.

1. Consider the following two kets:


   
−i 1
|ψ⟩ =  1 + i 

, |ϕ⟩ =  −i 


2 2−i

(a) Find the dual space vector ⟨ϕ|.


(b) Evaluate the scalar product ⟨ϕ | ψ⟩.
(c) Can you evaluate the product |ψ⟩|ϕ⟩?

2. Consider the following two polarization vectors

|E⟩ = 3i |X⟩ − 7i |Y ⟩ ; |E ′ ⟩ = − |X⟩ + 2i |Y ⟩ ,

where |X⟩ and |Y ⟩ correspond to x and y polarized states. Calculate the scalar products
⟨E | E ′ ⟩ and ⟨E ′ | E⟩. Are they equal?

3. Let  and B̂ be Hermitian operators

(a) Show that ÂB̂ = [Â, B̂]/2 + {Â, B̂}/2 where {Â, B̂} = ÂB̂ + B̂ Â is the anticom-
mutator.
(b) Show that the anticommutator is Hermitian and the commutator is anti- Hermi-
tian (that is, [Â, B̂]† = −[Â, B̂] ).
(c) As discussed in the class, the expectation values of Hermitian operators are real.
What can you say about the expectation value of an anti-Hermitian operator?

4. Outer product and Completeness relation


In the lectures, we showed that the scalar product of two arbitrary states (Ψ, Φ) can
be written in a compact form as ⟨Ψ|Φ⟩.

(a) Show that the outer product of two vectors (states), denoted by |Ψ⟩⟨Φ|, is a
matrix. Hence, the outer product is an operator.
(b) Obtain the outer product of the following linear polarization states:
i. |⃗x⟩⟨⃗x|

1
ii. |⃗x⟩⟨⃗y |
iii. |⃗y ⟩⟨⃗x|
iv. |⃗y ⟩⟨⃗y |
From the above relations, you should be able to show that

|⃗x⟩⟨⃗x| + |⃗y ⟩⟨⃗y | = 1 (1)

This is known as completness relation.


(c) Instead of two linear polarization states, consider |⃗x⟩ and |R⟩ defined as
1
|R⟩ = √ (|⃗x⟩ + i|⃗y ⟩) (2)
2
Calculate the outerproduct of |⃗x⟩ and |R⟩.
(d) Is
|⃗x⟩⟨⃗x| + |R⟩⟨R| = 1? (3)
What do you infer from Eqs. (??, ??)?

5. Consider a two-dimensional space where a Hermitian operator  is defined by

 |ϕ1 ⟩ = |ϕ1 ⟩ and  |ϕ2 ⟩ = − |ϕ2 ⟩ ,

where |ϕ1 ⟩ and |ϕ2 ⟩ are orthonormal.

(a) Do these states |ϕ1 ⟩ and |ϕ2 ⟩ form a basis?


(b) Consider the operator B̂ = |ϕ1 ⟩ ⟨ϕ2 |. Is B̂ Hermitian? Show that B̂ 2 = 0. (c)
Show that the products B̂ B̂ † and B̂ † B̂ are projection operators.
(c) Show that the operator B̂ B̂ † − B̂ † B̂ is unitary.
(d) Consider Ĉ = B̂ B̂ † + B̂ † B̂. Show that Ĉ |ϕ1 ⟩ = |ϕ1 ⟩ and Ĉ |ϕ2 ⟩ = |ϕ2 ⟩.

6. Consider an operator

 = |ϕ1 ⟩ ⟨ϕ1 | + |ϕ2 ⟩ ⟨ϕ2 | + |ϕ3 ⟩ ⟨ϕ3 | − i|ϕ1 ⟩ ⟨ϕ2 | − |ϕ1 ⟩ ⟨ϕ3 | + i|ϕ2 ⟩ ⟨ϕ1 | − |ϕ3 ⟩ ⟨ϕ1 | ,

where |ϕ1 ⟩ , |ϕ2 ⟩, and |ϕ3 ⟩ form a complete and orthonormal basis.

(a) Is  Hermitian? Calculate Â2 . Is it a projection operator?


(b) Find the 3 × 3 matrix representing  in the |ϕ1 ⟩ , |ϕ2 ⟩ , |ϕ3 ⟩ basis.

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