171.

303 Quantum Mechanics Midterm Exam

Solutions
October 21, 2014

Problem 1
(a) In this basis, we know the representation of Ŝy , so we can calculate the
expectation value.

hSy i = hψ|Ŝy |ψi

   
1 ~ 0 −i 1 1
= √ (1 − i) √
2 2 i 0 2 i
  
~ 0 −i 1
= (1 − i)
4 i 0 i
 
~ 1
= (1 − i)
4 i
~
= ·2
4
~
=
2

π2
(b) For a spin- 12 particle, Ŝx2 = Ŝz2 = 4 . We have

  
~ 0 1 1
hSx i = (1 − i)
4 1 0 i
 
~ i
= (1 − i)
4 1
=0
p
∆Sx = hSx2 i − hSx i2
~
=
2

1
   
~ 1 0 1
hSz i = (1 − i)
4 0 −1 i
 
~ 1
= (1 − i)
4 −i
=0
p
∆Sz = hSz2 i − hSz i2
~
=
2

(c) We have

~2
∆Sx ∆Sz =
4
~ ~2
|hSx i| =
2 4
~
∆Sx ∆Sz = |hSx i|
2
The uncertainty relation is still satisfied here, but it is saturated in the sense
that the two sides of the inequality are equal.

Problem 2
The eigenvector |1, 1ix in the Sz basis is
 
1
1 √ 
|1, 1ix → 2
2
1
While this isn’t in the text explicitly, it is problem 3.15, which we’ve worked
some variation of in the homework. Alternatively, one could use the state |1, 1iy ,
which is found in the book (see (3.114)), and just rotate the system about the
z-axis, which will not change the final result. To get |1, 1in , we apply a rotation
operator about the z-axis.

2
 ˆ
|1, 1in = e−iJz φ/~ |1, 1ix
 −iφ 
e
1 √ 
→ 2
2
eiφ
 2
2
 1 −iφ iφ 

|n h1, 1|1, 1ix | =  (e
 + 2 + e )
4
 2
1 + cos φ
=
2
 
φ
= cos4
2

Problem 3
Note that Jˆy = 1 ˆ
2i (J+ − J− ). With this, we can perform the calculations.

hJy i = hj, m|Jˆy |j, mi

1
= (hj, m|Jˆ+ |j, mi − hj, m|Jˆ− |j, mi)
2i
~ p p
= ( j(j + 1) − m(m + 1)hj, m|j, m + 1i − j(j + 1) − m(m − 1)hj, m|j, m − 1i)
2i
~
= (0 − 0)
2i
=0

For hJy2 i, note that by rotational symmetry about the z-axis, hJx2 i = hJy2 i in
this state. Hence, we have

hJ 2 i = hJx2 + Jy2 + Jz2 i

= 2hJy2 i + hJz2 i
1
hJy2 i = (hJ 2 i − hJz2 i)
2
1
= (hj, m|Jˆ2 |j, mi − hj, m|Jˆz2 |j, mi)
2
(j(j + 1) − m2 )~2
=
2

Problem 4
(a) We have N independent measurements, so we can just find the probability
for an individual one. They all have the same probability because we know that

3
after each measurement we end up in the state | + zi, and each evolves for the
same amount of time. Let’s work in the Sx basis in which the Hamiltonian is
diagonal. Then

 
1 1
| + zi → √
2 1
|ψ(t/N )i = e−iωtŜx /~N | + zi
 −iωt/2N 
1 e
→√
2 eiωt/2N
 2
2 1 −iωt/2N iωt/2N
|h+z|ψ(t/N )i| = (e +e )
2
ωt
= cos2
2N
ωt
With N independent measurements, the probability is p = cos2N 2N .

(b) As N → ∞, we have

ωt
p = lim cos2N
N →∞
 2N 
ωt
= exp lim 2N ln(cos )
N →∞ 2N
 
1
= exp lim ln(cos(ωtx)
x→0 x
  
d 
= exp ln cos(ωtx)

dx x=0
= e−ωt tan 0 = 1

Hence, in this limit, the electron will always stay in the state | + zi. This
fact that a particle which is continuously observed will not change state even
when it isn’t a steady state of the Hamiltonian is sometimes called the quantum
Zeno effect.