Exercises 4

Exercise 4.1
Show that
 
N 1  1 n
(a) s = limN 2 2 = 1 ,
n=0 n 2
where
 
(1)(n+1)
= n!
.
n

(b) s  Q = { pq |p, q Z, q = 0}.

Exercise 4.2
Which of the following operators are linear:

(a) A|p |ap|a with |a = 0 a fixed vector in the Hilbert space

(b) A2 , with A a linear operator

(c) A|p |a with |a = 0 a fixed vector in the Hilbert space

(d) A|p 0

Exercise 4.3
Let A and B be two hermitian operators in a Hilbert space H. Show that
A and B commute if and only if they have a common set of eigenvectors. In
order to simplify the proof you may assume that none of the eigenvalues of
A and B is degenerate.

Exercise 4.4
A certain observable A is represented by the matrix

2 0 i
A = A21 2 1 i
A31 A32 0
and the system is in the state | represented by

1
=c 0

1

(a) Give the values for A21 , A31 , A32 and c.

(b) Compute the expectation value of A

(c) What is the probability to measure the value 2 in a measurement of A

Exercise 4.5
We consider a spin 1 particle and describe the state where the z-component of
the spin Sz is +1, 0, 1 by the vectors (1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 1) respectively.
In this basis, let the Hamiltonian be

h1 0 h1
H = 0 h2 0
h1 0 h1

Assume, at t = 0 we have Sz = +1, i.e. |x(t = 0) = (1, 0, 0).

(a) What is the result of a measurement of the energy?

(b) Find the time evolution of the state, i.e. |x(t) for arbitrary t.

Exercise 4.6
Show that

P i
x
is a hermitian operator in L2C [R].

Exercise 4.7
Consider a spin 1/2 particle. The eigenstates of sz with eigenvalues +1/2 and
1/2 are represented by the vectors |  = (1, 0) and |  = (0, 1) respectively.
 (a) What is the expectation value of sy if the system is in the state
|  + |  with ||2 + ||2 = 1?

Hint:  
1 1 0 i
sy = y =
2 2 i 0

(b) Show that sz and sy do not have any common eigenvectors. What is
the physical interpretation of this statement?

Exercise 4.8
Consider a particle in a potential

for |x| L/2
V (x) =
0 for |x| < L/2

(left figure). Assume the system is in the state given by the wave function
 x 
2 3ix/L L
(x) = e cos for |x|
L L 2
If a measurement of the momentum is made, what are the possible results
and what is their probability?
Hint:
Use the following eigenfunctions for the momentum operator: |n =
1/ L exp(inx/L).
Compute the expectation value of the momentum operator.

V V

x x
L/2 0 L/2 L/2 L/4 0 L/4 L/2
 If the particle is in the in the state (x) but the potential is modified to

for |x| L/2
V (x) = 2   for |x| < L/2 and |x| L/4

cos2 xL
for |x| < L/4

(right figure) what is the average result of a measurement of the energy?


x sin(2xA)
Hint : dx cos2 (xA) = +
2 4A

Exercise 4.9
Let U(t, t0 ) be the time evolution operator of a quantum mechanical system

(a) Show U(t, t0 ) = [U(t0 , t)]1 .

(b) Show U(t2 , t1 )U(t1 , t0 ) = U(t2 , t0 ).

(c) Assuming the explicit form of the evolution operator is given by

 
cos((t t0 )) i sin((t t0 ))
U(t, t0 ) =
i sin((t t0 )) cos((t t0 ))

find the energy eigenvalues of the system.