This document contains 5 problems regarding quantum mechanics concepts such as commutators, uncertainty principle, harmonic oscillators, density operators, and generalized uncertainty principles. Problem 1 covers commutator identities and eigenfunctions of position and momentum operators. Problem 2 involves calculating expectation values for position, momentum, and their uncertainties for specific wavefunctions. Problems 3 examines the harmonic oscillator, computing its stationary states and related properties. Problem 4 is about properties of density operators and expectation values. Problem 5 extends the uncertainty principle and relates operators to Taylor expansions of functions.
This document contains 5 problems regarding quantum mechanics concepts such as commutators, uncertainty principle, harmonic oscillators, density operators, and generalized uncertainty principles. Problem 1 covers commutator identities and eigenfunctions of position and momentum operators. Problem 2 involves calculating expectation values for position, momentum, and their uncertainties for specific wavefunctions. Problems 3 examines the harmonic oscillator, computing its stationary states and related properties. Problem 4 is about properties of density operators and expectation values. Problem 5 extends the uncertainty principle and relates operators to Taylor expansions of functions.
This document contains 5 problems regarding quantum mechanics concepts such as commutators, uncertainty principle, harmonic oscillators, density operators, and generalized uncertainty principles. Problem 1 covers commutator identities and eigenfunctions of position and momentum operators. Problem 2 involves calculating expectation values for position, momentum, and their uncertainties for specific wavefunctions. Problems 3 examines the harmonic oscillator, computing its stationary states and related properties. Problem 4 is about properties of density operators and expectation values. Problem 5 extends the uncertainty principle and relates operators to Taylor expansions of functions.
This document contains 5 problems regarding quantum mechanics concepts such as commutators, uncertainty principle, harmonic oscillators, density operators, and generalized uncertainty principles. Problem 1 covers commutator identities and eigenfunctions of position and momentum operators. Problem 2 involves calculating expectation values for position, momentum, and their uncertainties for specific wavefunctions. Problems 3 examines the harmonic oscillator, computing its stationary states and related properties. Problem 4 is about properties of density operators and expectation values. Problem 5 extends the uncertainty principle and relates operators to Taylor expansions of functions.
Problem 1 (1.1)(a) Prove the following commutator identity:
[AB, C] = A[B, C] + [A, C]B.
(b) Show that
[x̂n , p̂] = i~nx̂n−1 . (c) Show more general that df [f (x̂), p̂] = i~ , dx for any function f (x).
(1.2) Find ψp (x)(= hx|pi) where |xi and |pi are the eigenfunctions for x̂ and p̂. (No need to normalized this function.)
Problem 2 (2.1) Suppose ( A(a2 − x2 ), if − a ≤ x ≤ a ψ(x) = 0, otherwise for constant A and a. (a) Determine A, by normalizing ψ(x). (b) Find hxi, hx2 i and σx . (c) Calculate hpi, hp2 i and σp . (d) Check the Heisenberg uncertainty principle for this state.
1 Math Chem Homework 4 due date: Nov. 13, 2019
(2.2) A particle in a 1-D box: The wavefunction ψ(x) can be found by solving the 1 2 Schrödinger equation Ĥ|ψi = E|ψi, Ĥ = 2m p̂ + V (x) with potential energy: ( 0, for 0 ≤ x ≤ L V (x) = ∞, otherwise r 2 nπx stationary state: ψn (x) = sin , n = 1, 2, 3, ... L L (a) Calculate hxi and hpi for the nth stationary state. hψ|Ĥ|ψi (b) Calculate hx2 i, hp2 i and E = hψ|ψi for the nth stationary state. (c) Check that the uncertainty principle is satisfied. Which state comes closest to the uncer- tainty limit?
Problem 3 Harmonic oscillator: The wavefunction ψ(x) can be found by solving the Schrödinger 1 2 equation Ĥ|ψi = E|ψi, Ĥ = 2m p̂ + V (x) with potential energy:V (x) = 21 mω 2 x2
where Hn is Hermite polynomial, Hn (z) = (−1)n ez dz n e and z = ~ x.
(3.1)(a) Write the first two stationary states ψ0 and ψ1 explicitly.
(b) Compute hxi and hpi for the first two stationary states. hψ|Ĥ|ψi (c) Compute hx2 i, hp2 i and E = hψ|ψi for the first two stationary states. (d) Check the uncertainty principle for these states.
(3.2) Find the matrix elements hn|x̂|n0 i and hn|p̂|n0 i in the basis of stationary states for the harmonic oscillator. Show that Ĥ = (1/2m)p̂2 + (mω 2 /2)x̂2 is diagonal, in this basis. (You can do this problem using nth stationary state or just the first two stationary states.)
2 Math Chem Homework 4 due date: Nov. 13, 2019
Problem 4 (4.1) Show that for a real wave function hx|ψi = ψ(x) the expectation value of momentum hp̂i = 0.
(4.2) The density operator ρ̂ for the pure state is defined by ρ̂ ≡ |ψihψ|. (a) Show that the expectation value of an observable  in a state, represented by a density operator ρ̂, is given by hAi = Tr[ρ̂Â]. √ A state with the orthonormal basis {|α1 i, |α2 i, |α3 i} is given by |ψi = 1/ 2|α1 i + 1/2|α2 i + i/2|α3 i. (b) Write down the density operator ρ̂ in matrix form. (c) Show that ρ̂ = ρ̂† and ρ̂2 = ρ̂. (d) Show that Tr[ρ̂] = 1 and the eigenvalues of ρ̂ are non-negative.
Problem 5 (5.1) The generalized uncertainty principle states that 1 σA2 σB2 ≥ hCi2 , 4
where Ĉ ≡ −i[Â, B̂].
(a) Show that it can be strengthened to read 1 σA2 σB2 ≥ (hCi2 + hDi2 ), 4
where D̂ ≡ ÂB̂ + B̂ Â − 2hÂihB̂i.
(b) Check the inequality in (a) for the case  = B̂ (the standard uncertainty principle is trivial, in this case, since Ĉ = 0; unfortunately, the extended uncertainty principle doesn’t help much either.)
(5.2) For a function f (x) that can be expanded in a Taylor series, show that
