Physics 55100 - Quantum Physics I

Dr. Sebasti
an Franco, Associate Professor
The City College of the City University of New York

Homework 8
The following problems have been taken from the book Introduction to
Quantum Mechanics by D. Griffiths.
1) Show that the lowering operator cannot generate a state of infinite norm,
i.e.
Z
|a |2 dx < ,
(1)

if itself is a normalized solution to the Schrodinger equation.

Hint: Use integration by parts to show that
Z
Z

(a+ a )dx.
(a ) (a )dx =

(2)

Then invoke the Schrodinger equation to obtain

Z
1
|a |2 dx = E ~
2

(3)

where E is the energy of the state .

2) The raising and lowering operators generate new solutions to the Schrodinger
equation, but these new solutions are not correctly normalized. Thus a+ n
is proportional to n+1 and a n is proportional to n1 , but wed like to
know the precise proportionality constants. Use integration by parts and the
Schrodinger equation to show that
Z
|a+ n |2 dx = (n + 1)~
(4)

and

|a n |2 dx = n~

(5)

and hence
a+ n =
a n =

p
(n + 1)~ n+1 ,

(6)
n~ n1 .

(If desired, we can add factors of i to the right hand sides to keep the wave
functions real).
Note:
The main goal of these problems is that you get practice applying the
concepts learnt during the lectures to explicit problems. Please do
not hesitate to contact me if you have doubts on topics related to the
problem. My e-mail address is: sfranco@ccny.cuny.edu. My office is
Marshak 316.