PHYS : 516 Quantum Mechanics I

Homework #6

Prakash Gautam

February 27, 2018

1. Using the Hamiltonian

)(
eB
H=− Sz = ωSz
mc
write the Heisenberg equation of motion for the time-dependent operators Sx (t), Sy (t) and
Sz (t). Solve them to obtain Sx,y,z as functions of time
Solution:
We know the commutaion relation for spin operators [Si , Sj ] = iℏεijk Sk . And since the time
derivative of the operator in Heisenberg picture is
d 1
(A) = [A, H]
dt iℏ
We can write the time derivative of the spin operators as
d 1 1 1
Sz = [Sz , H] = [Sz , ωSz ] = 0 = 0
dt iℏ iℏ iℏ
d 1 1 ω
Sx = [Sx , H] = [Sx , ωSz ] = − iℏSy = −ωSy
dt iℏ iℏ iℏ
d 1 1 1
Sy = [Sy , H] = [Sy , ωSz ] = ω iℏSx = ωSx
dt iℏ iℏ iℏ

By similar fashion we can find the second time derivative of the operators as
( )
d2 d d d
S z = S z = (0) = 0
dt2 dt dt dt
( )
d2 d d d
2
Sx = Sx = (−ωSy ) = −ω 2 Sx
dt dt dt dt
2
( )
d d d d
2
Sy = Sy = (ωSx ) = −ω 2 Sy
dt dt dt dt
2
2 Sx = −ω Sx
∂ 2
Since the first time derivative of operator Sz is zero, it is constant over time. For ∂t
forms a Ordinary Second order differential equation in operator Sx . (Assuming derivatives are
well defined for operators) We can write the solution as
Sx = Ae−iωt Sy = Be−iωt
Where A and B are arbitary constant (complex) numbers. ■

1
2. Consider a particle in one dimension whose Hamiltonian is given by
p2
H= + V (x)
2m
By calculating [[H, x], x] prove
∑  ⟨   ⟩2
 a′′ xa′  (Ea′ − Ea′′ ) = ℏ ,
2

′
2m
a
where |a′ ⟩ is an energy eigneket with eigenvalue Ea′
Solution:
Since x is Hermitian operator and V (x) is pure function of x the commutator of x and V (x)
p2
is
[ zero] i.e., [x, V (x)] = 0. By similar arguments the commutator of p and 2m is zero i.e.,
p2
p, 2m = 0 So we can calculate the commutator
[ 2 ]
p 1 [ 2 ] p
[H, x] = + V (x), x = p , x = −iℏ
2m 2m m
Also we can simplify the commutator as
[ p ] iℏ ℏ2
[[H, x], x] = iℏ , x = − [p, x] = −
m m m
the expectation value of the operator [[H, x], x] can be calculated as
⟨   ⟩
⟨[[H, x], x]⟩ = a′′ [[H, x], x]a′′
⟨   ⟩
= a′′ [Hx − xH, x]a′′
⟨   ⟩
= a′′ Hx2 − xHx − xHx + x2 H a′′
⟨   ⟩ ⟨   ⟩ ⟨   ⟩
= a′′ Hx2 a′′ + a′′ x2 H a′′ − 2 a′′ xHxa′′
⟨   ⟩ ⟨   ⟩ ⟨   ⟩
= Ea′′ a′′ x2 a′′ + Ea′′ a′′ x2 a′′ − 2 a′′ xHxa′′
⟨   ⟩ ⟨   ⟩
= 2Ea′′ a′′ x2 a′′ − 2 a′′ xHxa′′

Now the quantity ⟨a′′ |x2 |a′′ ⟩ can be written as

⟨ ′′  2  ′′ ⟩ ⟨ ′′   ′′ ⟩ ∑ ⟨ ′′   ′ ⟩ ⟨ ′   ′′ ⟩ ∑  ⟨ ′′   ′ ⟩2
a x a = a xxa = a xa a xa =  a xa 
a′ a′
Similarly we can express ⟨a′′ |xHx|a′′ ⟩
as
⟨ ′′   ′′ ⟩ ∑ ⟨ ′′   ′ ⟩ ⟨ ′   ′′ ⟩ ∑ ⟨   ⟩⟨   ⟩ ∑  ⟨   ⟩2
a xHxa = a xH a a xa = Ea′ a′′ xa′ a′ xa′′ = Ea′  a′′ xa′ 
a′ a′ a′
Finally these can be substitued to give
∑  ⟨   ⟩2
⟨[[H, x], x]⟩ = 2 (Ea′ − Ea′′ ) a′′ xa′ 
a′

But since we calcluated the epectation value to be − ℏm we can write the expression
2

∑  ⟨   ⟩2 ℏ2
(Ea′ − Ea′′ ) a′′ xa′  =
′
2m
a
This is the rquired expression. ■