A Modern Approach to Quantum

Mechanics by Townsend - Solutions

Solutions by: GT SPS

Contributors: Charles Cardot, Cody McCord, Robin Glefke,

Kiernan Reising, Kevin Jin, Alexander George-Kennedy, William
Benston

Last Updated: January 3, 2021

Contents

5 A System of Two Spin-1/2 Particles 3

5.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
5.7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
5.8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
5.9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
5.10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
5.11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
5.12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
5.13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
5.14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
5.15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
5.16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5.19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5.20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1
5.24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
5.25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5.29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2
5 A System of Two Spin-1/2 Particles

5.1
|1i = |+z, +zi , |2i = |+z, −zi , |3i = |−z, +zi , |4i = |−z, −zi

D  E ω ~
0
1|ω0 Ŝ1z |11|ω0 Ŝ1z |1 = ,

2
D  E ω ~
0
2|ω0 Ŝ1z |22|ω0 Ŝ1z |2 = ,

2
D  E ω0 ~
3|ω0 Ŝ1z |33|ω0 Ŝ1z |3 = − ,

2
D  E ω0 ~
4|ω0 Ŝ1z |44|ω0 Ŝ1z |4 = − ,

2

The Hamiltonian in this problem can be split into a spin-spin component and an
external magnetic field component. The matrix representation of the spin-spin
Hamiltonian is given in equation (5.14) on pg. 145. The matrix representation
of the external magnetic field Hamiltonian is diagonal. The total Hamiltonian
Ĥtotal = Ĥspin−spin + Ĥmagnetic is given by
 A+ω0 ~ 
2 0 0 0
ω0 ~−A
 0 0 0 
Ĥtotal →  2
−ω0 ~−A

 0 0 2 0 
A−ω0 ~
0 0 0 2

Solve Ĥtotal for the eigenenergies

A ω0 ~
E= ±
2 2
p
−A ± 4A2 + ω02 ~2
E=
2
Use binomial expansion (1 + x)n ≈ 1 + nx for x  1

A  ~ω limiting case:
A ω0 ~ A
E= ± →E≈
2 2
p 2
2
−A ± 4A + ω0 ~2
2 A ω0 ~ 2 1 A 1 ω02 ~2 A
E= → E = − ± A(1 + ( ) ) 2 ≈ − ± (A + )≈− ±A
2 2 2A 2 2 4A 2

3
A  ~ω limiting case:
A ω0 ~ ω0 ~
E= ± →E≈±
2 2
p 2
−A ± 4A2 + ω02 ~2 A ω0 ~ 2A 2 1 A ω0 ~ A2 A ω0 ~
E= →E=− ± (1 + ( ) )2 ≈ − ± ( + )≈− ±
2 2 2 ω0 ~ 2 2 ω0 ~ 2 2

5.2

5.3
θ θ
|+ni = cos |+zi + eiφ sin |−zi
2 2
θ iφ θ
|−ni = sin |+zi − e cos |−zi
2 2

1
|0, 0i = √ (|+z, −zi + |−z, +zi) (5.31)
2

θ θ
|+zi = |+ni h+n| + z|+n| + zi + |−ni h−n| + z|−n| + zi = cos |+ni + sin |−ni
2 2
−iφ θ θ
|−zi = |+ni h+n| − z|+n| − zi + |−ni h−n| − z|−n| − zi = e cos |+ni − e−iφ sin |−ni
2 2

|+z, −zi = |+zi ⊗ |−zi

|−z, +zi = |−zi ⊗ |+zi

Solve for |+z, −zi and |−z, +zi. Then substitute them back into equation (5.31)
to find
1
|0, 0i = √ (−e−iφ |+n, −ni + e−iφ |−n, +ni)
2

5.4

5.5

4
5.6

5.7
 
3 3
 2 2 = |+z, +z, +zi
 ,
 
3 3
Ŝ−  , = (Ŝ1− + Ŝ2− + Ŝ3− ) |+z, +z, +zi
2 2
√ 3 1
 
~ 3  , = ~(|−z, +z, +zi + |+z, −z, +zi + |+z, +z, −zi)
2 2
 
3 1 1
 2 2 = √3 (|−z, +z, +zi + |+z, −z, +zi + |+z, +z, −zi)
 ,
   
3 1 3 1
Ŝ−  , = (Ŝ1− + Ŝ2− + Ŝ3− )  ,
2 2 2 2
 
3 1 ~
2~  , − = √ (|−z, −z, +zi + |−z, +z, −zi + |−z, −z, +zi +
2 2 3
|+z, −z, −zi + |−z, +z, −zi + |+z, −z, −zi)
 
3 1 1
 2 2 = √3 (|−z, −z, +zi + |−z, +z, −zi + |−z, −z, +zi
 ,−
   
3 1 3 1
Ŝ−  , − = (Ŝ1− + Ŝ2− + Ŝ3− )  , −
2 2 2 2
√ 3 3
 
~
~ 3  , − = √ (|−z, −z, −zi + |−z, −z, −zi + |−z, −z, −zi)
2 2 3
 
3 3
 ,−
 2 2 = |−z, −z, −zi

5.8

1
|+ni = √ (|+zi + eiφ |−zi)
2
1
|−ni = √ (|+zi − eiφ |−zi)
2
1
|0, 0i = √ (|+z, −zi − |−z, +zi)
2

To find P++ (a, b), P−− (a, b), P+− (a, b), and P−+ (a, b) we must find the
overlap between h+na , +nb |0, 0|+na , +nb |0, 0i, h−na , −nb |0, 0|−na , −nb |0, 0i, h+na , −nb |0, 0|+na , −nb |0, 0i,

5
and h−na , +nb |0, 0|−na , +nb |0, 0i respectively. This is algebraically tedious, but
can be expedited slightly by first looking at the general form of |±na , ±nb i

1
|±na , ±nb i = |+z, +zi + (±b )eiφa |+z, −zi
2

iφb i(φa +φb )
+ (±a )e |−z, +zi + (±a · ±b )e |−z, −zi

and noticing that h+na , +nb |0, 0|+na , +nb |0, 0i = − h−na , −nb |0, 0|−na , −nb |0, 0i
and h+na , −nb |0, 0|+na , −nb |0, 0i = − h−na , +nb |0, 0|−na , +nb |0, 0i. Therefore
P++ (a, b) = P−− (a, b) and P+− (a, b) = P−+ (a, b), meaning we only actually
have to do 2 out of the 4 calculations.

1
h+na , +nb |0, 0|+na , +nb |0, 0i = h+z, +z| + eiφa h+z, −z| + eiφb h−z, +z|
2

i(φa −φb ) 1
+e h−z, −z| √ (|+z, −zi − |−z, +zi)
2
1 e−iφb e−iφa
 
= √ − √
2 2 2
1
P++ (a, b) = | h+na , +nb |0, 0|+na , +nb |0, 0i |2 = (1 − cos (φa − φb ))
 4
1 iφa iφb
h+na , −nb |0, 0|+na , −nb |0, 0i = h+z, +z| − e h+z, −z| + e h−z, +z|
2

1
− ei(φa −φb ) h−z, −z| √ (|+z, −zi − |−z, +zi)
2
 −iφb −iφa

1 e e
= − √ − √
2 2 2
1
P+− (a, b) = | h+na , −nb |0, 0|+na , −nb |0, 0i |2 = (1 + cos (φa − φb ))
4

If you are having trouble following the algebra in the above steps, don’t forget
that eiφ = cos (φ) + i sin (φ), sin(φ) = − sin(−φ), and cos(φ) = cos(−φ). Now
we see that

E(a, b) = P++ (a, b) + P−− (a, b) − P+− (a, b) − P−+ (a, b)

1 1
= (1 − cos (φa − φb )) + (1 − cos (φa − φb ))
4 4
1 1
− (1 + cos (φa − φb )) − (1 + cos (φa − φb ))
4 4
= − cos(φa − φb ) = − cos(θab )

5.9

6
 e−iφ
 
~ 0
Ŝn =
2 eiφ 0

e−iφa e−iφb
   
~ 0 ~ 0
Ŝ1a = , and; Ŝ2b =
2 eiφa 0 2 eiφb 0

~ iφ
Ŝn |+zi = e |−zi
2
~
Ŝn |−zi = e−iφ |+zi
2

1 1
√ (h+z, −z| − h−z, +z|)Ŝ1a Ŝ2b √ (|+z, −zi − |−z, +zi) =
2 2
2
1 ~ 1
√ (h+z, −z| − h−z, +z|) √ (ei(φa −φb ) |−z, +zi − ei(φb −φa ) |+z, −zi) =
2 4 2
2
 φa −φb φb −φa 2
~2
  
~ e e ~ cos(φa − φb ) cos(φb − φa )
− − =− + = − cos (θab )
4 2 2 4 2 2 4

5.10

5.11

5.12

5.13

5.14

5.15

7
5.16 |Ψi = a |+zi + b |−zi.

1 1 1 1
|+xi = √ |+zi + √ |−zi |−xi = √ |+zi − √ |−zi
2 2 2 2

a)

a2
 
ab
ρ̂ = |Ψi hΨ| =
ab b2

b)
X
ρ̂ = pij |ii hj| where i, j = +z, −z
i,j
X
|ii = |ai ha|i|a|ii
a
X XX
ρ̂ = pij |ii hj| = pij |ai ha|i|a|ii hj|b|j|bi hb| where a, b = +x, −z
i,j i,j a,b

1 (a + b)2 (a2 − b2 )
 
ρ̂ =
2 (a2 − b2 ) (a − b)2

c) Note that the probability that a measurement of Sx yields ~/2 for the state
|Ψi is equal to | h+x|Ψ|+x|Ψi |2 . Look at the discussion on page 172 of the
Townsend textbook for more information.

P̂|Φi = |Φi hΦ| (5.76)

tr(P̂|Φi ρ̂) = | hΦ|Ψ|Φ|Ψi |2 (5.77)
P̂+x = |+xi h+x|
1
tr(P̂+x ρ̂) = (a + b)2
2

5.17
 
1 1 −1
ρ̂ =
2 −1 1
   
~ 1 −1 0 1 ~
hSx |Sx i = T r(Ŝx ρ̂) = T r =−
4 −1 1 1 0 2

Note that T r(Ŝx ρ̂ = T r(ρ̂Ŝx ), see problem 5.27. This is the density operator
for a pure state. This can be trivially proven by calculating T r(ρ̂2 ) (see page 172

8
equation (5.75) and page 174 equation (5.85) of the Townsend textbook). For
the second justification we can use the definition of a pure state density matrix
given in equation (5.70), where we see that for a pure state ρ̂ = |Ψi hΨ|. We
simply need to find some normalized pure state |Ψi that allows us to recreate
the density operator given in this problem. Indeed we see that this is satisfied
by
1
|Ψi = √ (|+zi − |−zi)
2
1
|Ψi hΨ| = (|+zi h+z| + |−zi h−z| − |−zi h+z| − |+zi h−z|) = ρ̂
2

5.18
  3 
h+z|ρ̂| + z|+z|ρ̂| + zi h+z|ρ̂| − z|+z|ρ̂| − zi 0
ρ̂ = = 4 1
h−z|ρ̂| + z|−z|ρ̂| + zi h−z|ρ̂| − z|−z|ρ̂| − zi 0 4

hSx |Sx i = T r(Ŝx ρ̂), hSy |Sy i = T r(Ŝy ρ̂), hSz |Sz i = T r(Ŝz ρ̂)

~ 0 1 43 0
   
hSx |Sx i = Tr =0
2 1 0 0 14
~ 0 −i 43 0
   
hSy |Sy i = Tr =0
2 i 0 0 14
   3 
~ 1 0 0 ~
hSz |Sz i = Tr 4
1 =
2 0 −1 0 4 4

5.19
θ θ
|+ni = cos( ) |+zi + eiφ sin( ) |−zi
2 2
θ iφ θ
|−ni = cos( ) |+zi − e sin( ) |−zi
2 2

9
 θ θ θ
|+ni h+n| = cos( )2 |+zi h+z| + e−iφ cos( )sin( ) |+zi h−z|
2 2 2
θ θ θ
+ eiφ cos( )sin( ) |−zi h+z| + sin( )2 |−zi h−z|
2 2 2
θ θ θ
|−ni h−n| = cos( )2 |+zi h+z| − e−iφ cos( )sin( ) |+zi h−z|
2 2 2
θ θ θ
− eiφ cos( )sin( ) |−zi h+z| + sin( )2 |−zi h−z|
2 2 2
1 1 1 1
ρ̂ = |+ni h+n| + |−ni h−n| = |+zi h+z| + |−zi h−z|
2 2 2 2

5.20

5.21 The density operator from Problem 5.18 is

3 1
ρ̂ = |+zi h+Z| + |−zi h−Z|
4 4

√
3 1
|Ψ1 i = |+zi + |−zi
√2 2
3 1
|Ψ2 i = |+zi − |−zi
2 2 √ √
3 3 3 1
|Ψ1 i hΨ1 | = |+zi h+z| + |+zi h−z| + |−zi h+z| + |−zi h−z|
4 √4 √4 4
3 3 3 1
|Ψ2 i hΨ2 | = |+zi h+z| − |+zi h−z| − |−zi h+z| + |−zi h−z|
4 4 4 4
1
3 1
ρ̂ = |Ψ1 i hΨ1 | + |Ψ2 hΨ2 |i = |+zi h+Z| + |−zi h−Z|
2 4 4

5.22
~ = −µz B ge
Ĥ = −µ̂ · B with µ̂z = − Ŝz
2mc

10
 ge~
Ĥ |1i = |1i = µB |1i
2mc
Ĥ |0i = 0
ge~
Ĥ |−1i = − |−1i = −µB |−1i
2mc

 µB 
−
e kb T 0 0
1  − kµBT µB
ρ̂ −−−−−−−→  0 1 0 , Z=e + 1 + e kb T
 b
In Sz basis Z µB
0 0 e kb T

M = N hµ̂z |µ̂z i = N T r(ρ̂µ̂z )

 µB  
−
  e kb T 0 0 1 0 0
ge~
M = −N T r  0 1 0  0 0 0 
  
2Zmc µB
0 0 e kb T 0 0 −1
N µ kµBT − µB µB µB µB
M= (e b − e kb T ), for  1, e kb T ≈ 1 +
Z kB T kb T
1 + kµB − 1 + kµB
!
bT bT
2µB 2N µ2 B B
M = Nµ µB µB
= N µ( = · =C
1+ k T +1+1− k T 3kB T 3kB T T
b b

2N µ2 N µ2
Cspin 1 = 3kB and Cspin 1/2 = kB , therefore Cspin 1 < Cspin 1/2 from Exam-
ple 5.6

5.23

5.24

11
5.25
XD  E
T r(Â) = i|Â|ii|Â|i

i
XX D  E D  E
T r(P̂|Φi ρ̂) = hi|Φ|i|Φi Φ|Ψ(k) Φ|Ψ(k) pk Ψ(k) |iΨ(k) |i
 
k i
XXD  E D  E
= Ψ(k) |iΨ(k) |i pk hi|Φ|i|Φi Φ|Ψ(k) Φ|Ψ(k)
 
i k
X D  ED  E
= pk Ψ(k) |ΦΨ(k) |Φ Φ|Ψ(k) Φ|Ψ(k)
 
k
X D  E
= pk | Φ|Ψ(k) Φ|Ψ(k) |2

k
 
For a mixed state, pk is the probability that the particle is in state Ψ(k) . To
figure out the probability that a measurement on the particle
 yields
 the state |Φi
we must measure the overlap between |Φi and each state Ψ(k) that the particle
 (k) 
might be in. Given that the particle is not guaranteed to be in state Ψ  , we
must normalize each of these overlap
 measurements by the probability, p k , that
the particle is in the state Ψ(k) , which is exactly what the last line of math
above this text describes.

5.26

5.27
   
a1,1 a1,2 a1,3 ... b1,1 b1,2 b1,3 ...
a2,1 a2,2 a2,3 ... b2,1 b2,2 b2,3 ...
 = 
a3,1
, B̂ =  
a3,2 a3,3 ... b3,1 b3,2 b3,3 ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
X
T r(ÂB̂) = hi| ÂB̂ |ii
i
XX
= ai,j bi,j
i j
XX
= bi,j ai,j
i j
X
= hj| B̂ Â |ji
j

= T r(B̂ Â)

12
5.28

5.29
a)
X
ρ̂(0) = ρi,j |i(0)i hj(0)|
i,j
X X
Û (t)ρ̂(0)Û † (t) = ρi,j Û (t) |i(0)i hj(0)| Û † = ρi,j |i(t)i hj(t)| = ρ̂(t)
i,j i,j

b) An ensemble of particles in a pure state is given by ρ̂(0) = |Ψ(0)i hΨ(0)|. If

an ensemble CAN evolve into a mixed state then the the density matrix will
become a sum of more than one outer product of states
(ex: ρ̂ = a1,2 |Ψ1 i hΨ2 | + a3,4 |Ψ3 i hΨ4 | + ...). Time evolution is governed by
d d
the Schrodinger equation i~ dt Û = Ĥ Û ⇒ i~ dt |Ψ(t)i = Ĥ |Ψ(t)i. If we time
evolve the density matrix of a pure state we see that ρ̂(t) = Û (t)ρ̂(0)Û † (t) =
|Ψ(t)i hΨ(t)| as governed by the Schrodinger equation. This means that ρ̂(t) is
still representing a pure state and does NOT take the form of a mixed state
ρ̂ = a1,2 |Ψ1 i hΨ2 | + a3,4 |Ψ3 i hΨ4 | + .... This implies that time evolution which
is governed by the Schrodinger equation cannot evolve an ensemble of particles
which begins in a pure state into a mixed state.

13