P460 - math concepts 1

General Structure of Wave

Mechanics (Ch. 5)
Sections 5-1 to 5-3 review items covered previously
use Hermitian operators to represent observables (H,p,x)
eigenvalues of Hermitian operators are real and give the
expectation values
eigenvectors for different eigenvalues are orthogonal and
form a complete set of states
any function in the space can be formed from a linear series
of the eigenfunctions
some variables are conjugate (position, momentum) and one
can transform from one to the other and solve the problem in
eithers space
x d
x
i dx p p
e x u C t x
product dot dx u u u u j i
x u ions eigenf unct
op
iEt
N N
ij j i j i
i

o
) (
) ( ) , (
| |
) ( :
* *
/
*
c
c
= >= <
=
= >= >=< <
} }

P460 - math concepts 2

Notation
there is a very compact format (Dirac notation) that is often
used
|i> = |u
i
> = eigenfunction
<_,|> is a dot product between 2 function
|i><j| is an outer product (a matrix). For example a rotation
between two different basis
if an index is repeated there is an implied sum
operator projection n n
n n n C x u C x
product dot dx u u u u j i
x u ions eigenfunct
N N N
ij j i j i
i

= = =
= >= >=< <

}

o
) ( ) (
| |
) ( :
*
P460 - math concepts 3
Degeneracy (Ch. 5-4)
If two different eigenfunctions have the same eigenvalue they
are degenerate (related to density of states)
any linear combination will have the same eigenvalue



usually pick two linear combinations which are orthogonal
can be other operators which have only some specific linear
combinations being eigenfunctions. Choice may depend on
this (or on what may break the degeneracy)
example from V=0

) ( ) (
j i j i
j j i i
u u a u u O
au Ou au Ou
| o | o + = +
= =
0 ) ( : ,
0 cos sin : cos , sin
2
, , cos , sin
*
2 2
=
=
=
}
}

dx e e orthogonal e e
kxdx kx orthogonal kx kx
m
k
E e e kx kx
ikx ikx ikx ikx
ikx ikx

P460 - math concepts 4
Degeneracy (Ch. 5-4)
Parity and momentum operators do not commute







and so cant have the same eigenfunction
two different choices then depend on whether you want an
eigenfunction of Parity or of momentum


momentum e e
Parity kx kx
ikx ikx
,
cos , sin
P
x
i P p Pp p P
x
x
i x P p
x
x
i
x
x
i P x p P
op op op
op
op
c
c
= =
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
=

2 ] , [
) (
)) ( (
) (
)
) (
( )) ( (

P460 - math concepts 5

Uncertainty Relations
(Supplement 5-A)
If two operators do not commute then their uncertainty
product is greater then 0
if they do commute 0
start from definition of rms and allow shift so the functions
have <U>=0



define a function with 2 Hermitian operators A and B U
and V and real


because it is positive definite

can calculate I in terms of U and V and [U,V]


2 2
2 * 2 2 2 2
) ( ) ( , 0
) (
A U U A A U
dx A A A A A
A = A >= >< < =
>= < > < > =< A
}

) ( ) ( ) ( x V i U x | + =
0 ) (
*
> =
}
dx I | |
> < =
> < =
B B V
A A U
dx V i U V i U
dx V i U V i U
dx V i U V i U I
dag dag



) )( (
) )( (
) ( ) ) ((
*
*
*
+ =
+ =
+ + =
}
}
}
Hermitian
U U U
T dag
= =
*
P460 - math concepts 6
Uncertainty Relations
(Supplement 5-A)
rearrange



But just the expectation values



can ask what is the minimum of this quantity



use this uncertainty relationship from operators alone





dx V VU UV i U
dx V i U V i U I


) ) ( (
) )( (
2 2 2 *
*
+ + =
+ =
}
}
> < + > < + > =<
> < + > < > < + > =<
2 2 2
2 2 2
] , [
) (
V V U i U
V VU UV i U I


> <
> <
= =
2
min
2
] , [
0
V
V U i
d
dI

2 2 2
2 2 2
2 2
min min
2
min
] , [
4
1
) ( ) (
] , [
4
1
0 ] , [ ) (
> < > A A
> < > > >< <
> > < + > < + > =<
B A i B A
V U i V U
V V U i U I
P460 - math concepts 7
Uncertainty Relations -- Example
take momentum and position operators
in position space







that x and p dont commute, and the value of the commutator,
tells us directly the uncertainty on their expectation values

i x p xp px
x
x i i x
x
i px
x
x i xp
x
i p x x
op op
= =
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
= =
] , [
2
) (
2
1
] , [
4
1
] , [
4
1
) ( ) (
2 2
2 2 2

= > < = > < > A A

> < > A A
i i x p i x p
B A i B A
P460 - math concepts 8
Time Dependence of Operators
the Hamiltonian tells us how the expectation value for an
operator changes with time






but know Scrod. Eq.


and the H is Hermitian


and so can rewrite the expectation value









dx t x
t
A t x dx t x A t x
t
dx t x
t
A
t x A
dt
d
dx t x A t x A
t
t
)] , ( [ ) , ( ) , ( )] , ( [
) , ( ) , (
) , ( ) , (
* *
*
*



c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
= > <
= > <
} }
}
}
* * *
*
)
1
(
1

H
i
H
i t
H
i t
= =
c
c
=
c
c
HA A H H H
T * * *
) ( = =
| | A H
i
t
A
A
dt
d
dx AH
i
dx HA
i
t
A
A
dt
d
t
t
t
t
,
* *

+
c
c
= > <
+
c
c
= > <
} }

P460 - math concepts 9
Time Dependence of Operators II
so in some sense just by looking at the operators (and not
necessarily solving S.Eq.) we can see how the expectation
values changes.


if A doesnt depend on t and [H,A]=0 <A> doesnt change
and its observable is a constant of the motion
homework has H(t); lets first look at H without t-dependence


and look at the t-dependence of the x expectation value









| | A H
i
t
A
A
dt
d
t
t
,

+
c
c
= > <
) (
2
2
x V
m
p
H + =
| |
| | | | | | | |
m
p
x
dt
d
p
i
p x p x p p x p x x V
x x V
m
p i
x H
i
x
dt
d
=
= + = =
(

+ = =

2
, , , 0 ), (
), (
2
,
2
2
P460 - math concepts 10
Time Dependence of Operators III
and look at the t-dependence of the p expectation value








rearrange giving





like you would see in classical physics









| |
| |


dx
dV
i dx
d
i
V V
dx
d
i
p V V p Vp pV
x V p
i
p x V
m
p i
p H
i
p
dt
d

= =
=

=
(

+ = =
) (
) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ,
), (
2
,
2
| |
dt
x dV
x
dt
d
m and
dt
x dV
p
dt
d
dx
dV
i
x V p
) (
) (
) ( ,
2
2
=
= =