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Exercise Sheet 1

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5 views3 pages

Exercise Sheet 1

Uploaded by

marti.sola.bertran
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Exercise Sheet 1 - Mecànica Quàntica

September 30, 2024

1 Operators
In this section we will deal with Operators, focusing on hermitian / unitary
Operators and diagonalization.

1.1
Prove

[AB, CD] = −AC{D, B} + A{C, B}D − C{D, A}B + {C, A}DB (1)

1.2
Suppose a 2×2 matrix X (not necessarily Hermitian or unitary) is written as

X = a0 + ⃗σ · ⃗a (2)

where a0 and a1,2,3 are numbers.


(a) How are a0 and ak (k = 1, 2, 3) related to tr(X) and tr(σk X)?
(b) Obtain a0 and ak in terms of the matrix elements Xij

1.3
Suppose |i⟩ and |j⟩ are eigenkets of some Hermitian operator A. Under what
condition can we conclude that |i⟩ + |j⟩ is also an eigenket of A? Justify your
answer.

1.4
Consider a ket space spanned by the eigenkets {|a′ ⟩} of a Hermitian operator
A. There is no degeneracy.
(a) Prove that Y
(A − a′ ) (3)
a′

1
Figure 1: Problem 1.6.

is the null operator.


(b) Explain the significance of
Y A − a′′
. (4)
′′ ′
a′ − a′′
a ̸=a

1
(c) Illustrate (a) and (b) using A set equal to Sz of a spin 2 system.

1.5
Using the orthonormality of |+⟩ and |−⟩, prove

h̄2
[Si , Sj ] = iϵijk Sk , Si , Sj = δij , (5)
2
where
h̄ ih̄
Sx = (|+⟩⟨−| + |−⟩⟨+|), Sy = (− |+⟩⟨−| + |−⟩⟨+|)
2 2 (6)
h̄
Sz = (|+⟩⟨+| − |−⟩⟨−|) .
2

1.6
E
⃗ · n̂; + such that
Construct S

⃗ · n̂; + = h̄ S
E E
⃗ · n̂ S
S ⃗ · n̂; + , (7)
2
where n̂ is characterized by the angles shown Fig.1. Express your answer as a
linear combination of |+⟩ and |−⟩.

2
1.7
The Hamiltonian operator for a two-state system is given by

H = a(|1⟩⟨1| − |2⟩⟨2| + |1⟩⟨2| + |2⟩⟨1|) , (8)

where a is a number with the dimension of energy. Find the energy eigenvalues
and the corresponding energy eigenkets (as linear combinations of |1⟩ and |2⟩).

1.8
A two-state system is characterized by the Hamiltonian

H = H11 |1⟩⟨1| + H22 |2⟩⟨2| + H12 [|1⟩⟨2| + |2⟩⟨1|] , (9)

where H11 , H22 and H12 are real numbers with the dimension of energy and |1⟩
and |2⟩ are eigenkets of some observable (̸= H). Find the energy eigenkets and
the corresponding energy eigenvalues. Make sure that your answer makes good
sense for H12 = 0.

1.9
⃗ · n̂ with eigenvalue h̄/2,
A spin 21 system is known to be in an eigenstate of S
where n̂ is the unit vector lying in the xz−plane that makes an angle γ with
the positive z−axis.
(a) Suppose Sx is measured. What is the probability of getting +h̄/2?
(b) Evaluate the dispersion in Sx
2
⟨(Sx − ⟨Sx ⟩) ⟩ . (10)

1.10
A beam of spin 21 atoms goes through a series of Stern-Gerlach-type measure-
ments as follows:
(a) The first measurement accepts sz = h̄/2 atoms and rejects sz = −h̄/2
atoms.
(b) The second measurement accepts sn = h̄/2 atoms and rejects sn = −h̄/2
⃗ · n̂, with n̂ making an angle
atoms, where sn is the eigenvalue of the operator S
β in the xz−plane with respect to the z−axis.
(c) The third measurement accepts sz = −h̄/2 atoms and rejects sz = h̄/2
atoms.
What is the intensity of the final sz = −h̄/2 beam when the sZ = h̄/2 beam
surviving the first measurement is normalized to unity? How must we orient
the second measuring apparatus if we are to maximize the intensity of the final
sz = −h̄/2 beam?

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