PH 504: Assignment 4

April 11, 2016

Due April 18, 2016

Note

The questions are all on the subject of time dependent perturbation theory.
H (t) and PH (t), in the
Problem 1.1. Calculate the position and momentum operators X
Heisenberg picture for a one-dimensional harmonic oscillator. Find the Heisenberg equations
H (t) and PH (t). Finally calculate the commutation relations [X
H (t1 ), PH (t2 )]
of motions for X

and [XH (t1 ), XH (t2 )]. (10 points)

Problem 1.2. A particle, which is initially (t = 0) in the ground state of an infinite,
one-dimensional potential box with walls at x = 0 and a, is subjected for 0 t to a
perturbation V (t) = x2 et/ . Calculate to first order the probability of finding the particle
in its first excited state for t 0.(10 points)
Problem 1.3. A hydrogen atom in its ground state is placed at time t = 0 in a uniform
2
2
. Calculate to first order the
electric field in the y direction given by E(t) = E0 et / y
probablility that the atom will be found in any of the n = 2 states after a sufficiently long
time (t ). (10 points)
Problem 1.4. A hydrogen atom is in its excited 2p state. Calculate the transition rate
associated with the 2p 1s transitions (Lyman) and the lifetime of the 2p state. (15
points)
Problem 1.5. Protons (magnetic moment ) are placed in a magnetic field of the form
+ B0 sin t y
+ Bz z, where Bz is a constant and B0  Bz . At t = 0 all
B = B0 cos t x
protons are polarized in the +z direction.
a) What value of gives resonant transitions?
b) What is the probability for a proton at time t to have spin in the z direction? Do this
part exactly without using perturbation theory. Notice that the Hamiltonian is given by
~ and is a 2 2 matrix. Simply solve the time dependent Schrodinger equation for
H = ~.B
this system.
+ By y
, calculate the same probability using first order
c) Now approximating B0 = Bx x
time dependent perturbation theory. Compare with what you found in part (b) above. (15
points)