Advanced Quantum Mechanics: Problem Sheet 2

1. a) Show that if A and B are two non-commuting operators then, to second order
in ε,
1 2 [A,B]
eεA eεB = eεA+εB+ 2 ε

b) Show that if H is a self-adjoint operator then U = eiH is a unitary operator

meaning that, for any two states |ψ1 〉, |ψ2 〉

〈ψ1 |U † U |ψ2 〉 = 〈ψ1 |ψ2 〉

2. Some identities with commutators. Show that the following are true for any oper-
ators A, B, C

a) [AB, C] = [A, C]B + A[B, C]

b) [AB, CD] = [A, C]BD + A[B, C]D + C[A, D]B + CA[B, D]

3. The angular momentum operator in quantum mechanics is defined as L #̂ = #̂r × p.

#̂
Using the commutation relations between r̂i and p̂j ([r̂i , p̂j ] = i!δij ) show that

a) #̂r × p#̂ = −p#̂ × #̂r

b) #̂r · p#̂ ∕= p#̂ · #̂r

4. Let εijk be the totally anti-symmetric tensor in three dimensions, i.e.,

!
"
#1 if (ijk) = (123), (231), (312)
εijk = −1 if (ijk) = (213), (132), (321)
"
$
0 otherwise (i.e. if two of the indices have the same value).

Using the fact that εijk εklm = δil δjm − δim δjl , where on the l.h.s. summation over
k = 1, 2, 3 is understood (i.e. the Einstein summation convention is used), prove
that the commutation relations

[L̂j , L̂k ] = i! εjkl L̂l

of the angular momentum define a Lie algebra, i.e. verify anti-symmetry of the
bracket and the Jacobi identity

[[L̂j , L̂k ], L̂l ] + sum over cyclic permutations of (jkl) = 0.

1
5. Consider the three matrices
% & % & % &
! 0 1 ! 0 −i ! 1 0
s1 = , s2 = , s3 = ,
2 1 0 2 i 0 2 0 −1
a) Evaluate the commutation relations [si , sj ] for i, j = 1, 2, 3.
b) Evaluate the matrix s2 = s21 + s22 + s23 .
c) Optional: Can you find 3 × 3 matrices li that have the same commutation
relations? what is li2 ?
6. Practice with spherical polar coordinates.
We will use the convention
x = r cos φ sin θ , y = r sin φ sin θ , z = r cos θ .
Show that
a) '
2 2 2 2 y x2 + y 2
r = x + y + z , tan φ = , tan θ =
x z
b)
∂ x ∂ y ∂ z ∂
= + +
∂r r ∂x r ∂y r ∂z
∂ ∂ ∂
= −x tan φ + y cot φ
∂φ ∂x ∂y
∂ ∂ ∂ ∂
= x cot θ + y cot θ − z tan θ
∂θ ∂x ∂y ∂z
c)
∂ x ∂ x ∂ y ∂
= + 2 cot θ − 2
∂x r ∂r r ∂θ x + y 2 ∂φ
∂ y ∂ y ∂ x ∂
= + 2 cot θ + 2 2
∂y r ∂y r ∂θ x + y ∂φ
∂ z ∂ z ∂
= − 2 tan θ
∂z r ∂z r ∂θ
d)
∂ ∂ cos φ cos θ ∂ sin φ ∂
= cos φ sin θ + −
∂x ∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ
∂ ∂ sin φ cos θ ∂ cos φ ∂
= sin φ sin θ + +
∂y ∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ
∂ ∂ sin θ ∂
= cos θ −
∂z ∂r r ∂θ
2
e)
1 ∂2 ( ) 1 ∂( ∂ ) 1 ∂2
∇2 Ψ = rΨ + sin θ Ψ + Ψ
r ∂r2 r2 sin θ ∂θ ∂θ r2 sin2 θ ∂φ2