1

CSIR-UGC-NET/GATE/JEST/TIFR/HCU/JNU/ OTHER PhD ENTRANCES

QUANTUM MECHANICS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM AND SPIN
1. Stern-Gerlach experiment shows that the electron Here m is the magnetic quantum number. Verify
(a) has a negative charge which of the following relations is/are CORRECT?
(b) carries a spin equal to 1/2
(a) J z J   ,m   m  1 J   ,m
(c) exhibits particle nature only
(d) exhibits wave-particle duality J z J   ,m   m  1 J   ,m
2. In terms of lowering and raising operator
(Here J  and J  are raising and lowering opera-
( J  and J  respectively), calculate the following:
tor repectively)
(i) J  J  (b) J  J  (b)   m2
3. In terms of lowering and raising angular momen-
(c)   m2
tum operates J  and J  , the following relation is
true (d) J z J   ,m   m  1 J   ,m

(a) J x2  J y2  J  J z  J  J z J   ,m   m  1 J   ,m
     
(b) J x2  J y2  J  J   J z 6.   
Prove  .a   .b  a.b  i . a  b 

(c) J x2  J y2  J  J z  J  7. For an arbitrary vector A , position vector r and

(d) J x2  J y2  J  J   J z angular momentum J , which of the following com-
mutation relations is TRUE?
4. The matrix representation of J   J x  iJ y for     
1
 
(a)  A, r .J   i r . A
j  is     
2  
(b)  A, r .J   i r  A
 0 0 0 1    
(a) J      (b) J     0 0  (c)  A, r .J   iA
1 0  
   
1 0  0 0 (d)  A, r .J   ir
(c) J      (d) J      8. A single electron atom has an orbital angular mo-
 0 0 0 1
mentum L  2 . Which of the following gives
5. If  ,m represents simultaneous eigenstates of
the possible values of measurement of Lz, the z-
2
 
square of angular momentum J and z- com- component of L of the electron?
(a) 0 (b) 0, 
ponent of angular momentum  J z  : (c) 2,  , 0, , 2  (d) , 0, 
J  ,m    ,m ; J z  ,m  m  ,m
2

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9. The quantum state sin x   exp  i  cos x  , 13. x, L
If L  y and L
 z are the components of the an-
gular momentum operator in three dimensions, the
where    0 and x,  are, real, is or
 x, L
commutator  L xL
yL
 z  may be simplified to
rthogonal to: [JEST 2012] 
(a) sin x  [CSIR June 2016]

(b) cos x   exp  i  sin x   

2 2
(a) iLx L z  L y z L
(b) i L yL
x

(c) iL  2 L  L 
(c)  cos x   exp  i  sin x   2 2
x z y (d) 0
(d)  exp  i  cos x   sin x  14. If Lx, Ly, and Lz are the x, y, and z components of
10. The eigenstates of Sˆ z of a quantum particle with angular momentum operator, L, the comutator

1 1 1 [Lx, Ly, Lz] is equal to [GATE 2011]

spin are   s  , sz 
2 2 2
(a) i  Lx  Ly  (b) i  Lx  Ly 
2 2 2 2
1 1
and   s  , sz   . Which of the follow-
2 2
(c) 2iLz (d) zero
ing statements about eigenstates of the operator
Sˆ z is true? 15. Which one of the following commutation relations
is not correct? [GATE 2013]
(a)  is an eigenstate of Sˆ x
(a)  L , Lz   0 (b)  Lx , Ly   iLz
2
(b)  is an eigenstate of Sˆ x

(c)    is an eigenstate of Sˆ x (c)  Lz , L   L (d)  Lz , L   L

(d) No linear combination of  and  can be 16. For a spin 1/2 particle, the expectation value of

an eigenstate of Sˆ x Sx Sy Sz. where Sx, Sy and Sz are spin operators, is

11. The square of the orbital angular momentum op- [GATE 2005]
  
 
erator L   i r   can be expressed as
i 3 i 3
(a) (b) 
2      8 8
(a) L   r 
2 2
  r2 
r  r  i 3 i 3
(c) (d) 
2    2   16 16
(b) L  r    r
2 2

r  r  17. Three operators X, Y and Z satisfy the commuta-
2    2   tion relations
(c) L   r    r
2 2

r  r  [X,Y] = iZ , [Y,Z] = iX and [Z,X]= iY
2    2   The set of all possible eigenvalues of the operator
(d) L  r    r
2 2
 Z, in units of  , is [GATE 2007]
r  r 
 
12. Let L and p be the angular and linear momentum (a) 0, 1, 2, 3,.........
operators respectively, for a particle. The com-
mutator [Lx,Py] gives [GATE 2015]
1 3 5 
(b)  ,1, , 2, ,.........
(a) ipx (b) 0 2 2 2 

(c) ip x (d) ipz

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 1 3 3  1 1  2  0
(c) 0,  , 1,  , 2,  ,......... 1     
 2 2 2  3 0 3 1 
 1 1
(d)  ,   1   0
 2 2
where   and   represents the spin-up and
 0 1 
18. Which of the following describes the same physi-
spin-down states, respectively. When the system
1 1 is in the state  2 , its probability to be in the spin-
cal state of a spin-1/2 particle as  ?
2 i  up state is ............................ [GATE 2014]
1 1 1 1  22. If L+ and L– are the angular momentum ladder
(a)   (b)   operators, then the expectation value of (L+ L–+
2 1 2  0
L– L+) in the state l  1, m  1 of an atom is
1  1 1  i
(c)   (d)   ......................  2 .
2  1  2  1  [GATE 2014]
19. The spin function of a free particle, in the basis in 23. An operator for a spin -1/2 particle is given by
   B
1   0 
which Sz is diagonal, can be written   as  
 0  1 

A   .B , where B 
2
 
x  y ,  denotes


  Pauli spin matrices and  is a constant. The eigen-

and with eigenvalues  and  , respectively..
2 2 value of A are [GATE 2015]
In the given basis, the normalized eigenfunctions
 B
of Sy with eigenvalue  [GATE 2009] (a)  (b)   B
2 2

1 1  1 0
(a)   (b)   (c) 0,  B (d) 0,  B
2  i  2 i 
24.  x ,  y and  z are the Pauli matrices. The ex-
1 i  1 i 
(c)   (d)   pression 2 x y   y x is equal to
2 0 2  1

20. For a spin s particle, in the eigen basis of S2, Sz the [GATE 2016]
2
expectation value sm S x sm is (a) 3i z (b) i z
[GATE 2010] (c) i z (d) 3i z

 s ( s  1)  m 2   2 25. Let l , m be the simultaneous eigenstates of L2

(a) 
2
and Lz. Here L is the angular momentum opera-
(b)  s  s  1  2m  
2 2
tors with Cartesian components  Lx ,Ly ,Lz  , 
is the angular mometum quantum number and m
(c)  s  s  1  m   is the azimuthal quantum number. The value of
2 2

1, 0  Lx  iLy  1, 1 is [GATE 2016]

(d) m 2  2
(a) 0 (b) 
21.  1 and  2 are two orthogonal states of a spin
1/2 system. It is given that (c) 2 (d) 3

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30. In a basis in which the z-components Sz of the
Define  x   f  f  and  y  i  f  f  ,
† †
26. spin is diagonal, an electron is in a spin state
where the  ' are Pauli spin matrices and f , f †
obey anticommutation relations  1  i  / 6 
  
 2/3 
 f , f   0,  f , f †   1 then  z is given by  
[JEST 2012] The probabilities that a measurements of Sz will
yield the values  / 2 and  / 2 are, respectively
(a) f † f  1 (b) 2 f † f  1
[CSIR June 2013]
(c) 2 f † f  1 (d) f † f (a) 1/2 and 1/2 (b) 2/3 and 1/3
1
27. The Hamiltonian of a spin  particle in a mag- (c) 1/4 and 3/4 (d) 1/3 and 2/3
2
  
netic field B is given by H    B. , where  1 1 1  i 
 31. A spin  particle is in the state    
is a real constant and    x y z  are the
 ,  ,  2 11  3 
 in the eigenbasis of S2 and Sz. If we measure Sz
Pauli spin matrices. If B   B0 , B0 , 0  and the spin
 
the probabilities of getting  and  , respec-
state at time t  0 is an eigenstate of  x , then of 2 2
tively, are [CSIR June 2013]
the expectation values  x ,  y and  z
[CSIR June 2018]
1 1 2 9
(a) Only  x changes with time (a) and (b) and
2 2 11 11
(b) Only  y changes with time
1 3
(c) Only  z changes with time (c) 0 and 1 (d) and
11 11
(d) All three change with time
 32. The Hamiltonian of an electron in a constant mag-
28. For the Hamiltonion H  a0 I  b. where  
netic field B is given by H   .B where  is
 
a0  R, b is a real vector, I is the 2  2 identity a positive constant and    1 ,  2 ,  3  denotes

matrix and  are the Pauli matrices, the ground the Pauli matrices. Let    B /  and I be
state energy is [GATE 2017]
the 2  2 units matrix. Then the operator eiHt /  sim-
(a) b (b) 2a0  b plifies to [CSIR June 2011]
 
(c) a0  b (d) a0 t
i .B t
(a) I cos  sin
2 B 2
29. The component along an arbitrary direction , with
 
 
direction cosines nx , n y , nz , of the spin j of a i .B
(b) I cos t  sin t
1 B
spin 2 particle is measured. The result is:
 
[CSIR June 2012] i .B
(c) I sin t  cos t
B

(a) 0 (b)  nz  
2 i .B
(d) I sin 2t  cos 2t
  B
(c) 
2
 nx , n y , nz  (d) 
2
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33. A particle is prepared in a simultaneous eigenstate 1
37. The Hamiltonian for a spin  particle at rest is
of L and Lz If     1  2 and m are respec-
2
2
tively the eigenvalues of L2 and Lz then the ex- given by H = E0  z  a x  ,where  x and  z
2 are Pauli spin matrices E0 and  and are con-
pectation value Lx of the particle in this state
stants. The eigenvalues of this Hamiltonian are
satisfies [CSIR June 2013] [CSIR June 2015]
(a) Lx  0
2
(a)  E0 1   2 (b)  E0 1   2
(b) 0  Lx   
2 2 2
 1 2
(c) E0 (d) E0 1   
 2 
    1  2
(c) 0  Lx 
2

3 38. The product of the uncertainties  Lx   Ly  for a

 2     1  2 particle in the state a 1,1  b 1, 1 (where l , m

(d)  Lx 
2

2 2 denotes an eigenstate of L2 and Lz )will be a mini-

34. Consider a spin -1/2 particle in the presence of mum for [CSIR June 2015]
homogeneous magnetic field of magnitude B along (a) a  ib
z-axis which is prepared initially in a state (b) a = 0 and b = 1
 
1

2
    at time t = 0. At what time (c) a 
3
and b =
1
2 2
‘t’ will the particles be in the state   (  B is (d) a  b
Bohr magneton)? [JEST 2012]
1 2 
 2   
(a) t   B (b) t   B 39. Consider the state 1 2  corresponding to the
B B
1 2 
 

(c) t  2  B (d) Never angular momentum l  1 in the Lz basis of states
B

35. If Jx, Jy, Jz are angular momentum operators, the with m = +1, 0, –1. If L2z is measured in this state
eigenvalues of the operator (Jx+Jy) /  are yielding a result 1, what is the state after the mea-
[JEST 2013] surement? [JEST 2013]
(a) real and discrete with rational spacing 1  1 / 3 
(b) real and discrete with irrational spacing    
0  0 
(c) real and continous (a)   (b)
 0  
(d) not all real    2 / 3

36. Let    1 ,  2 ,  3  , where  1 ,  2 ,  3 are the 1 / 2 
   0  
Pauli matrices. If a and b are two arbitrary con-  
(c)  0  (d)  0 
 
stant vectors in three dimensions, the commutator 1   1/ 2 
   
 a.b, b.  is equal to (in the following I is the 40. What are the eigenvalues of the operator
    
identity matrix) [CSIR June 2014] H   . , where  are the three Pauli matrices

    and  is a vector? [JEST 2013]
  
(a) a.b  1   2   3  (b) 2i a  b .  (a)  x   y and  z (b)  x   y and i z
   
 
(c) a.b I (d) a b I (c)   x   y   z  (d)  

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 2
41. Consider an eigenstate of L and Lz operator tem is prepared in ket-state  1  2  / 2 at time

denoted by , m . Let A  n .L denote an op- t  0 . It envolves to the state described by the
erator, where n is a unit vector parametrized in ket in  1  2  / 2 time T . The minimum en-
terms of two angles as [JEST 2014] ergy difference between two levels is:
 n , n .n    sin  cos  ,sin  sin  , cos  
x y z . [JEST 2016]
 
The width A in , m state is: (a) (b)
6T 4T
    1  m 2  
(a)  cos  (c) (d)
2 2T T
1
(b)
    1  m 2
 sin 
45. If Yxy 
2
Y2,2  Y2,2  , where Yl ,m are spheri-
2
cal harmonics, then which of the following is true?
(c)     1  m 2  sin  [JEST 2016]
(a) Yxy is an eigenfunction of both L2 and Lz
(d)     1  m  cos 
2
2
(b) Yxy is an eigenfunction of L but not Lz
42. Suppose a spin 1/2 particle is in the state,
(c) Yxy is an eigenfunction of Lz but not L2
1 1  i 
    . If Sx (x component of the spin
6 2 (d) Yxy is not an eigenfunction of either L2 or Lz
angular momentum operator) is measured what is

46. A spin 
1
2

particle is in a state    / 2 , 
the probability of getting  ? [JEST 2014]
2 where  and  are the eigenstate of Sz o p -
2 2 erator. The exception value of the spin angular
(a) (b)
3 3 momentum measured along x- direction is:
5 1 [JEST 2016]
(c) (d) (a)  (b) 
6 6

43. A spin-1 particle is in a state  described by (c) 0 (d)
2
the column matrix
1
10

2 2 2i in the S basis.
z
 47. If the direction with respect to a right-handed
cartesian coordinate system of the ket vector
What is the probabiltiy that a measurement of op- z,  is (0,0,1), then the direction of the ket vec-
erator Sz will yield the result  for the state tor obtained by application of rotations: exp
Sx  ? [JEST 2016]  i z / 2  exp   i y / 4  , on the ket z,  is
1 1 (  y ,  z are the Pauli matrices):
(a) (b)
2 3 [JEST 2016]
1 1 (a) (0,1,0) (b) (1,0,0)
(c) (d)
4 6 (c) 1,1, 0  / 2 (d) 1,1,1 / 3
1
44. A spin  particle in a uniform external magnetic  1 
2 48. If   I    x   y   z   2 , where
 3 
field has energy eigenstates 1 and 2 . The sys-
 x , y and  z are the Pauli matrices and I is

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 7
(a) homogeneous radio frequency magnetic field
the identity matrix, then the trace of 
2017
is
(b) homogeneous static magnetic field
[JEST 2017]
(c) inhomogeneous static magnetic field
(a) 22017 (b) 2-2017
(d) inhomogeneous radio frequency magnetic field
(c) 1 (d) 1/2
  54. In a Stern-Gerlach experiment, the magnetic field
49. Consider the Hamitonian H  f  .x here x the is in + z direction. A particle comes out of this ex-
position vector, f is a constant and
periment in 1  z ,  state. Which of the follow-

   x ,  y ,  z  , where  x ,  y ,  z are the three ing statements is true? [GATE 2002]
Pauli matrices. The energy eigenvalues are (a) The particle has a definite value of the y-com-
[TIFR 2014] ponent of the spin angular momentum.
(a) f  x2  y2  z  (b) f  x  iy  (b) The particle has a definite value of the square
of the spin angular momentum.
(c)  f x 2  y 2  z 2 (d)  f  x  y  z 
(c) The particle has a definite value of the x-com-
50. The state  of a spin-1 particle is given by ponents of the spin angular momentum.
(d) The particle has a definite value of the x- and
[TIFR 2018]
y-components of the spin angular momentum.
1  i 2i 
   1, 1  1, 0 exp  1,1 exp 
3 3 3  55. Electrons with spin in the z-direction  ẑ  are
passed through a Stern-Gerlach (SG) set up with
where S , M x denote the spin eigenstates with
the magnetic field at   60 from ẑ . The frac-
eigenvalues  2 S  S  1 and M x respec tively.. tion of electrons that will emerge with their spin
parallel to the magnetic field in the SG set up
Find S x , i.e. the expectation value of the x-com- (rounded off to two decimal places) is
ponent of the spin. _________________. [GATE 2019]
Statement for linked Answer type Q.51 and
  0 1  0 i   1 0 
Q.52  x   , y   , z   
An electron is placed in an uniform magnetic field   1 0 i 0   0 1

H that points in the x direction. The Hamiltonian
  1
of the system is H   k S .H where k > 0 is con- 56. P is a beam of atoms with spin quantum number
2

stant and S is the electron spin operator.. and zero orbital angular momentum, with all an-
51. The energy of the ground state of the Hamiltonian gular momenta being along x axis. Q is a similar
is: beam which is unpolarized.
These beams can be differentiated experimentally
1
(a)  kS  (b) kH  by passing P and Q separately through
2 Stern-Gerlach apperatus with
1 (a) Magnetic field along X axis
(c)  kH  (d) 0 (b) Magnetic field along Y axis.
2
52. The expectation value of Sz in the ground state of (c) Magnetic field along Z axis
this Hamiltonian is: (d) Magnetic field along YZ Plane.
(a)  / 2 (b) 0 57. Two Stern-Gerlach apparatus S1 and S 2 are kept
(c)  / 2 (d)  in a line (x-axis). The directions of their magnetic
53. In a Stern-Gerlach experiment the atomic beam fields are along the positive z- and y- axes, re-
whose angular momentum state is to be deter- spectively. Each apparatus only transmits particles
mined, must travel through with spins aligned in the direction of its magnetic
[GATE 2000] 1
field. If an initially unpolarized beam of spin 
2

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 8
particles passes through this configuration, the ra-
1  0
tio of intensities I 0 : I f of the initial and final beams,     and   
x
0 x
1 
is [CSIR June 2018]
(b) The eigenstates of spin operator Sˆ x are
I0 If
k̂ ĵ 1  1 1  1
(a) 16:1 (b) 2:1     and    
x
2  1  x
2  1
(c) 4:1 (d) 1:0
58. A rigid rotator has the wave function
1 1 
  ,     N 2iY1,0  ,     2  i  (c) In the spin state
2  3 
, upon the measure-

Y2, 1  ,    3iY1,1  ,   
ment of Sˆ x , the probability for obtaining  x is
where Yl ,m  ,  are the spherical harmonics, and 1
 .
N is a normalization constant. If L is the orbital 4
angular momentum operator, and L  Lx  iLy
1 1 
2  3 
the expectation value of L L is (d) In the spin state , upon the measure-
[TIFR 2015]
ment of Sˆ x ,the probability for obtaining  x is
21 2 23 2
(a) (b)
9 9 2 3
.
25 2 4
(c) (d) 0
9 62. An electron in a hydrogen atom is in the state
3 n  3, l  2, m  2 . Let Lˆ denote the y-com-
59. Particle A with angular momentum j  decays y
2
ponent of the orbital angular momentum operator.
into two particles B and C with angular momenta
 
2
j1 and j2 , respectively.. If Lˆ y    2 , the value of  is _________.
[GATE 2020]
3 3 1 1
If ,   1,1 B  , , the value of  63. The Hamiltonian of a particle is given by
2 2 A 2 2 C
  
is ___________. [GATE 2020] H
p2
2m
   
 V r   r L.S where S is the
60. A hydrogen atom is in an orbital angular momen-
spin, V  r  and   r  are Potential functions

tum state l , m  l . If L lies on a cone which
  
makes a half angle 30 with respect to the z-axis, and L  r  p is the angular momentum. The
the value of l is ________. Hamiltonian does NOT commute with
[GATE 2004]
61. Sˆ x denotes the spin operator defined as
  
(a) L  S (b) S 2
 0 1
Sˆx    . Which one of the following is
2 1 0 
(c) Lz (d) L 2
correct? [GATE 2020]
64. In a Stern-Gerlach experiment with spin–1/2 par-
(a) The eigenstates of spin operator Sˆ x are ticles, the beam is found to form two spots on the
screen, one directly above the other. The experi-
menter now makes a hole in the screen at the po-
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 9
sition of the upper spot. The particles that go 1
through this hole are then passed through another 66. Two spin particles with spins Ŝ1 and Ŝ 2 are in
2
Stern-Gerlach apparatus but with its magnets ro-
a singlet state. The value of the potential
tated by 90 degrees counter-clockwise about the
axis of the bean direction. Which of the following 1 ˆ ˆ
V  r   V1  r   S1.S 2V2  r  , for such a state
shows what happens on the second screen? 2
[TIFR 2015] will be [HCU PHD 2010]

1 3
(a) V1  r   V2  r  (b) V1  r   V2  r 
4 4
(a)
3
(c) 0 (d) V1  r   V2  r 
2
67. A system is in the following coherent superposi-
tion of angular momentum eigenstate | l , m  :

(b) |    |1,1    1,0   1, 1  .

The expectation values of L2 and Lz in this state

are [HCU PHD 2012]

(a) 2 2 and     
2 2

(c)
(b)        and       
2 2 2 2 2 2 2

(c)      and     
2 2 2 2 2

(d) 2 2 and     
2 2

(d)

68. The vale of exp i   nˆ.    , where n̂ is the vec-

1    tor and  is the Pauli matrix is


65. For a spin  particle in the state   , the
2    [HCU PHD 2013]
1 
expectation value of Sˆ z   z is (a) sin   i  nˆ.  cos 
2

(b) cos   i  nˆ.  sin 
[HCU PHD 2010]
(c) cos   sin 
 *
(a)        
*

2 (d) cos 2   sin 2 

i * 69. If L  Lx  iLy and R  X  iY , the commu-

(b)
2
      *  
tator  L , R  is [HCU PHD 2013]

(c)
2
 2
  
2
 (a) 2z (b) 2iz

(d) 0 (c) Lx (d) iLy

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 10
1 ability that sz will be pointing “down”
70. A spin  particle with magnetic moment
2
 1
   1   i.e., sz    is [HCU PHD 2014]
  0 S and spin S   i , where  i are the  2
2
Pauli matrices, is placed in a constant magnetic 2  2 
 (a) cos (b) sin
field B pointing along the x-axis. The interaction 2 2
Hamiltoninan of the system is
 
[HCU PHD 2013] (c) sin 2  (d) sin cos
2 2
 0 B  1
0  0 B  0 1  1
(a)    (b)    74. For two spin  particles the difference between
2  0 1  2 1 0 2
the expectation values of the operator Sˆ1.Sˆ2 in
 B  0 1  B  1 0 
(c)  0   (d)  0  
2  1 0  2 0 1 the triplet and the singlet states (where Sˆ1, Sˆ2 are
the corresponding spin operators) is
71. The commutator  Lz , Ylm  ,   , where Lz is the
[HCU PHD 2015]
z-component of the orbital angular momentum and
Ylm  ,  is a spherical harmonic, is 2
(a)  2 (b)
4
(a) l  l  1 Ylm  ,  
3 2 2
(b) mYlm  ,  (c) (d)
4 2
(c) mYlm  , 
75. In relativistic quantum mechanics, which of the
(d) l Ylm  ,  [GATE 2005] following is the correct representation of the spin

72. The Hamiltonian H 
p2
 V r    1
operators Sˆ j for a spin- particle (Here  j 
2
2m
denote the Pauli spin-matrices and I the 2 × 2 iden-
tity matrix) [HCU PHD 2015]
where r  x 2  y 2  z 2 commutes
[HCU PHD 2013]   j 0   j 0 
(a) S j    (b) S j   
(a) only with Lz 2 0 I 2 0  j 

(b) with Lx and Ly but not with Lz I 0    j 0 

(c) S j     (d) S j   
20 j 4 0  j 
(c) with Lz but not with Lx and Ly
76. Which of the following is an eigenstate of the Pauli
(d) with Lx , Ly , and Lz matrix  x [HCU PHD 2016]

1
73. A spin particle is at rest with spin sz pointing 1 1 
2 (a)   (b)  
1  i 
 1
“up”  i.e., sz    . After a rotation of the co-
 2 1 1 
ordinates by an angle  about y-axis, the prob- (c)   (d)  
i   0

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 11
77. Which of the following relations (with the eigenstate 81. Consider a system of three distinguishable par-
of angular momentum operator) is most appropri-
1
ate [HCU PHD 2016] ticles, each having spin S  auch that
2
 2

(a) 0   l ,m Lˆ x  Lˆ y  l ,m    l  l  1  m 
2 2 2
1
S z   with corresponding magnetic moments
2

2 2

(b) 0   l ,m Lˆ x  Lˆ y  l ,m   l  l  1  
2
 z   . Whe the system is placed in an external
magnetic field H pointing along the z-axis, the to-
2 2 2

2

(c) m    l ,m Lˆx  Lˆ y  l ,m   l  l  1  
2
tal energy of the system is H . Let x be the state
1
where the first spin has S z 
(d) l    l ,m
2
 
Lˆ2x  Lˆ2y  l ,m   l  l  1  2  2
. The probability

of having the state x and the mean magnetic mo-

h ment (in the +z direction) of the system in state x
78. Consider a spin S  particle in the state are
2
2 2 2 1
1 2  i  (a) ,  (b) , 
  
3  2 
. The probability that a measure- 3 3 3 3
1 2 1 1
 (c) ,  (d), 
ment finds the state with S x   is 3 3 3 3
2 [GATE 2021]
82. The Hamiltonian of two interacting particles, one
17 5
(a) (b) 1
18 18 with spin 1 and the other with spin , is given by
2
15 11  
(c) (d) H  AS1.S 2  B  S1 x  S 2 x  , where S1 and S 2
18 18
[GATE 2021] denote the spin operators of the first and second
79. For a two-nucleon system in spin singlet state, the particles, respectively, and A and B are positive
spin is represented through the Pauli matrices constants. The largest eigenvalue of this Hamilto-
 1 , 2 for particles 1 and 2, respectively. The value nian is

of  1. 2  (in integer) is___. [GATE 2021] (a)

1
 A2  3B  (b) 3 A  2  B 
  2
80. The spin S and orbital angular momentum L of

1
an atom precess
 about J , the total angular mo-
(c)
2
 3 A 2  B  (d) A 2  3B 
mentum. J precesses about an axis fixed by a

magnetic field B1  2 B0 zˆ, where B0 is a constant. [NET DEC 2019]
Now the magnetic field is changed to 83. If an operator  is rotated by an infinitesimal angle

 
B2  B0 xˆ  2 yˆ  zˆ . Given the orbital angular  about an arbitrany axis n̂ , then the trans-
momentum quantum number l = 2 and spin quan- formed operator can be written as
s 1    
tum number ,  is the angle between (a) A ˆ   (b) Â  i   A,x.J
ˆ  i   A,x.J 
  2      
B1 and J for the largest possible values of total
ˆ
iA ˆ
iA
angular quantum number j and its z-component jz. (c)  (d)  
The value of  (in degree, rounded off to the near-  
est inteter is ________. [GATE 2021]

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 12
ANSWER KEY
84. An angular momentum eigenstate j ,0 is rotated
by an infinitesimally small angle  about the posi- 1. (b) 2. (*) 3. (d)
tive y-axis in the counter clockwise direction. The 4. (b) 5. (a,b) 6. (*)
rotated state, to order  (upto a normalisation 7. (b) 8. (d) 9. (d)
constant), is 10. (c) 11. (a) 12. (d)
13. (a) 14. (b) 15. (d)

(a) j ,0  j  j  1  j ,1  j , 1  16. (a) 17. (c) 18. (d)
2 19. (a) 20. (a) 21. (0.66)
 22. (2) 23. (b) 24. (c)
(b) j ,0  j  j  1  j ,1  j , 1  25. (c) 26. (b) 27. (c)
2
28. (c) 29. (d) 30. (d)
 31. (b) 32. (b) 33. (d)
(c) j ,0  j  j  1  j ,1  j, 1  34. (a) 35. (a) 36. (b)
2
37. (a) 38. (d) 39. (b)
  40. (d) 41. (a) 42. (c)
(d) j,0  j  j  1 j,1  j  j 1 j, 1
2 2 43. (d) 44. (c) 45. (b)
[NET NOV 2020] 46. (d) 47. (b) 48. (c)

 2 
49. (c) 50.    51. (c)
 3 
52. (a) 53. (d) 54. (b)
55. (0.75) 56. (d) 57. (c)
58. (b) 59. (1) 60. (3)
61. (d) 62. (1) 63. (c)
64. (d) 65. (c) 66. (b)
67. (a) 68. (b) 69. (b)
70. (b) 71. (c) 72. (*)
73. (b) 74. (a) 75. (*)
76. (a) 77. (c) 78. (a)
79. (–3) 80. (27-92) 81. (a)
82. (a) 83. (a) 84. (b)

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