Practice for Final: Due Friday May 3, 5pm [NO EXTENSIONS]

This is meant to be a practice for the final. It will serve as extra credit for your final.
If you turn it in on time, even if only partly complete, you will receive 10pts. extra in
your final exam. Note, there will be no extensions beyond the 5pm deadline for Friday
May 3.

1) A beam of atoms of a specific type is passed through a Stern-Gerlach apparatus. After exiting the device, the
atoms are collected on a collecting plate and 5 separate lines are observed. What is the value of the total spin of the
electrons in the atom?

2) Suppose a particle interacts according to the Hamiltonian

p2
H= + F z,
2m
where F is a constant. Which of the following are conserved quantities: py , pz , Ly , Lz , L2 , x?

3) An atom consists of a nucleus with a charge Z = 13 and 13 electrons in orbit around it. If the atom is in its
ground state, what is the total spin of the electrons in the atom?
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~1 , and S
4) Consider a system of two spins, S ~2 , interacting via the Hamiltonian

~1 · S
Ĥ = aS ~2 .

a. Show that the following Ehrenfest relation holds,

d ~ ~2 i = − d hS
~1 × S ~2 i.
hS1 i = −ahS (1)
dt dt
b. Now consider that both particles have spin-1/2. Prove that the energy eigenstates must be eigenstates of the
total angular momentum, and determine their energies.
c. Let |S, mS i be the eigenstates of the total angular momentum, with S being the total angular momentum
quantum number, and mS gives the total magnetic quantum number. Let S1,x be the operator associated with the
spin projection of particle 1 along the x̂-axis. Write the operator S1,x in the basis of states |S, mS i. [HINT: you might
want to first write the |S, mS i basis in terms of the | 21 , mS1 i and | 12 , mS2 i bases]
d. Consider a system is prepared in the arbitrary state

|ψ(0)i = α|0, 0i + β−1 |1, −1i + β0 |1, 0i + β1 |1, 1i,

where the states are in the total angular momentum basis. Obtain expressions for the expectation values at later
times t for the spin projection of particle 1 along the x̂-axis, i.e. hS1x i. For this, you might consider expressing the
operator S1,x in the basis of states |S, mS i.
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5) Conservation laws in the Hydrogen atom: At leading order, the ground state and excited states of the
Hydrogen atom are describe by the Coulomb potential. In other words, the leading order Hamiltonian can be written
as,

p̂2 e2 1
Ĥ0 = − , (2)
2m 4π r
where p̂2 = p̂2x + p̂2y + p̂2z and m is the mass of the electron.

a) [5 pts.] Let S, Lj , and J be the spin, orbital angular momentum, and total angular momentum of the electron.
Also, let Π be the expectation value of the parity operator.
Given this, explain which of these quantities are conserved by the Ĥ0 Hamiltonian: {S 2 , Sz , L2 , Lz , J 2 , Jz , Π}.

b) [5 pts.] As we have discussed in class, the next order correction to the Hamiltonian has three terms, Ĥ 0 =
Ĥrel + ĤSO + ĤDar . These can be written as,

p̂4
Ĥrel = − , (3)
8m3 c2
e2 1 ~ · L,
~
ĤSO = S (4)
8π0 m2 c2 r3
e2 ~ 1
ĤDar = δ(r) (5)
80 m2 c2
These corrections of the Hamiltonian is only expected to possibly further break the symmetry, as opposed to
enhance it. Given this, which of these previously listed quantities {S 2 , Sz , L2 , Lz , J 2 , Jz , Π} are now not conserved
due to the addition of these corrections to the Hamiltonian.

Explain your answer and explicitly state which of the three Hamiltonians is responsible for any possible changes
to the conservation laws.
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6) Perturbations in a background magnetic field: Consider a simplified Hamiltonian of a static spin-1/2

particle submerged in a background constant magnetic field pointing along the z-axis,
q ~
Ĥ0 = − σ̂z B0 , (6)
m2
where B0 is a constant σ̂z is the Pauli matrix.
(0)
a) [5pts.] Find the eigenvalues {En } of Ĥ0 .

b) [5pts.] Find the eigenstates {|n(0) i} of Ĥ0 .

c) [5pts.] After some time, the magnetic field got a small x component, changing the Hamiltonian to Ĥ = Ĥ0 + Ĥ 0 ,
where
q ~
Ĥ 0 = − σ̂x β, (7)
m2
where β is a constant satisfying β  B0 and σ̂x is the Pauli matrix.

Writing Ĥ as a matrix, derive the exact eigenvalues {En } of Ĥ.

d) [5pts.] Treat Ĥ 0 as a perturbation, and derive the first correction to the energies. In other words, evaluate
(1)
{En }.

e) [5pts.] Taylor expand your exact solutions {En } obtained in part (c) for small values of β to O(β). Compare
(0) (1)
your findings with your solutions to En + En .
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7) The quantum dumbbell: Consider the so-called quantum dumbbell Hamiltonian,

L̂2
Ĥ0 = (8)
2I

where L̂ is angular momentum operator and I is the moment of inertia of a spherically symmetric molecule.
a) [5pts.] What are the eigenstates, energies, and degeneracies of this Hamiltonian? [TIP: no calculation is actually
needed, since we have essentially solved this problem many times.]

b) [5pts.] Now, let us consider the modification of this Hamiltonian to one describing a molecule that is cylindrical,
rather than spherical. For this, we will set the x and y component of the momentum inertia to be different than the
z-components: Ix = Iy = I and Iz = γI, where γ is a constant. With this, the new Hamiltonian can be written as

L̂2x + L̂2y L̂2

Ĥ = + z . (9)
2I 2γI

Show that the the Hamiltonian can be written as Ĥ = αĤ0 + β L̂2z , and find α and β.

c) [5pts.] If we treat Ĥ 0 = β L̂2z as a perturbative correction of Ĥ, would the states found in part (a) be considered
“good states”? Explain your answer.

d) [5pts.] What are the exact eigenstates, energies and degeneracies of Ĥ? [TIP: again, no real calculation is needed]
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8) Lithium: In class, we paid close attention to the Helium atom, which is composed of a nucleus with charge
Ze = 2e and two electrons. Let us considering the next atom in the periodic table, namely Lithium. Lithium is
composed of three electrons orbiting a nucleus of charge charge Ze = 3e.
Let us begin by ignoring the interactions amongst the electrons and describe the construction of the unperturbed
ground state(s) of Lithium in terms of the Hydrogen-like atoms solutions |n`mi.
(0)
a) [5pts.] In terms of the ground state energy of the Hydrogen atom E1 , what is the lowest unperturbed energy
allowed for Lithium? [Tip: Remember that the electrons are fermions.]

b) [5pts.] Ignoring the spin of the electrons, the unperturbed spatial wave function of the ground state(s) can
be written as tensor products of the Hydrogen atom state |n1 `1 m1 i ⊗ |n2 `2 m2 i ⊗ |n3 `3 m3 i. What are the allowed
combinations that these quantum numbers can take for the ground state(s)? [Note: do not bother anti-symmetrizing
or symmetrizing them].

c) [5pts.] If we now include the spin of the electron, what is the degeneracy of the `1 = `2 = `3 = 0 the ground
state(s)?

d) [5pts.] Qualitatively describe the general procedure for obtaining a leading order correction of the ground state
energies of the Lithium atom.

e) [5pts.] The ionization energy of an atom is the minimum energy needed to free one of its electron. We can
estimate this for Lithium by imagining that the outermost electron feels a weaker attraction from the nucleus, since
the electric charge of the nucleus is partly screened by the two innermost electrons. Using this simple picture, what
is the ionization energy of the Lithium atom?
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9) Harmonic oscillator with non-zero spin: Considered the 1D Harmonic oscillator,

1 2 1
ĤHO = p̂ + mω 2 x̂2 . (10)
2m 2
In the absence of spin, the allowed states are denoted as |ni and have energy En = ~ω( 21 + n).
For the following three cases, obtain the allowed states, energy, and degeneracy for the ground state
state(s). Assume that the two particles are non-interacting. [NOTE: when considering states with non-zero spin, it
is sufficient to label the states in terms of the total spin of the state. You do not need to write out the state as a
tensor product of the individual individual particles.]

a) [5 pts.] For two distinguishable spinless particles.

b) [5 pts.] For two identical spin-0 bosons.

c) [5 pts.] For two identical spin-1/2 fermions.

d) [5 pts.] One spin-0 bosson and one spin-1/2 fermion .

e) [5 pts.] For two identical spin-1 bosons.

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10) A particle of mass m is confined to an infinite square well potential

(
0 0<x<b
V = .
∞ otherwise

Let n label the eigenstates of this system.

a. To first order in perturbation theory, find the energy En for all n if a delta-function perturbation V1 = δ x − 2b


(where  is small) is applied to the system.

b. Instead of the perturbation in part (a), consider a time-dependent perturbation

 
b
V2 = λ x − sin(ωt),
2

where ~ω is close to (but not exactly equal to) to the transition frequency E2 − E1 , and λ is a constant. If the
particle is in the ground state at t = 0 find the explicit time dependence of the probability (to lowest order in λ) that
the particle is in the first excited state at some later time t. You may leave your answer in terms of an integral over
x but should show the time dependence explicitly.

c. More generally, given the time-dependent potential defined in part (b), onto which states is the ground state
allowed to transition to? In other words, at leading order in λ, for which n will the transition probability P1n (t) be
non-zero?
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11) We now know that neutrinos have mass so we can talk about their rest frame. In a simple model with only
two neutrino flavors (electron neutrino and muon neutrino), neutrino flavor√ states
√ do not have definite mass and
the electron neutrino has equal amplitude for having mass m1 and m2 (1/ 2, 1/ 2). Suppose we have an electron
neutrino at t = 0.
a. What is the probability that the neutrino will be an electron neutrino at arbitrary time t?

b. How long does it take for the electron neutrino to change completely into a muon neutrino?

c. What is the probability of measuring a mass of m1 as a function of time?

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12) A particle of mass m and energy E is incident on the spherically symmetric three-dimensional Yukawa potential:

e−r/λ
V (r) = V0 λ .
r
a. Assuming that the scattering is weak, evaluate the scattering cross section σ(θ, φ), within the Born approximation.
b. Evaluate the contribution arising from s-wave scattering within this approximation. State clearly how one may
extract the s-wave scattering part from the result in (a) above. HINT: You can use the integral:
ˆ b
dx tan−1 (b/a)
= .
0 x2 + a2 a