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Quantum Mechanics Problem Set 4 Solutions

This document contains 6 practice problems related to quantum mechanics and angular momentum: 1. Show that two operators acting on different Hilbert spaces commute. 2. Prove operators representing total angular momentum are diagonal in a basis where the sum of two angular momentum operators is diagonal. 3. Find the possible total angular momentum states and representations of raising/lowering operators for three spin-1/2 particles with no motion.

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15 views2 pages

Quantum Mechanics Problem Set 4 Solutions

This document contains 6 practice problems related to quantum mechanics and angular momentum: 1. Show that two operators acting on different Hilbert spaces commute. 2. Prove operators representing total angular momentum are diagonal in a basis where the sum of two angular momentum operators is diagonal. 3. Find the possible total angular momentum states and representations of raising/lowering operators for three spin-1/2 particles with no motion.

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SnirPiano
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

Quantum Mechanics 2

2014 Fall Semester

Problem Set 4
1. Show that for any two operators A : HA HA and B : HB HB , where HA and
HB are two Hilbert spaces, [A 1, 1 B] = 0.
2. Let J be the (operator) sum of two angular momentum operators J() , J() .
J = J() 1 + 1 J() .
In class we switched to a basis where J2 is diagonal. Prove that in this basis, the
operators Jz , J2() , and J2() are also diagonal (that they all commute with each
other), but that J()z and J()z are not (there is at least one operator with which
they dont commute).
3. Consider three particles of spin 1/2 which have no motion. The raising and lowering
operators of the individual spins have the property
J |i = h
|i
J+ |i = h
|i ,
where the arrows indicate
z-direction. ReX the spin orientation with respect to the
member that J =
J (i) .
i=,,

(a) What possible total angular momentum states are there? Write the explicit
form of the four J = 3/2 states in the direct product basis.
(b) Construct the 4 4 matrices which represent the J operators in the J = 3/2
block.
(c) Construct the 4 4 matrices which represent Jx , Jy , and from Jx , Jy , Jz construct the matrix J 2 in the J = 3/2 block.
(d) Write the explicit states of all the possible spin states (that you havent written
already in part (a)).
4. Just as we found the C.G coefficients one by one, it is easy to find a general
recursion relation for the C.G. coefficients. Consider
hl1 , l2 , m1 , m2 | J |l1 , l2 , J, M i
and act with J once on the ket, and once on the bra to get the recursion relation
(remember: J are not hermitian).

result
 Confirm1 your
 by using the recursion
1 5 3
1 5 3
1
relation to calculate 2, 2 , 2, 2 2 , 2 and 2, 2 , 1, 2 2 , 2 .
1

5. Consider an electron. We know its orbital angular momentum ` and the


z-component
M of its total angular momentum J. What are the possible values of J? Calculate
the
value
1 expectation
of the magnetic dipole moment of the electron in the state
`, ; J = ` + 1 , M . Reminder: the magnetic dipole of the electron is defined:
2
2

e
(L + 2S).
2me c

6. Consider two spin-1 particles that occupy the state |s1 = 1, s2 = 1; m1 = 1, m2 = 0i.
What is the probability of finding the system in an eigenstate of the total spin S 2
with quantum number s = 1? What is the probability for s = 2?

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