PH 403: Quantum Mechanics I

Quiz 2 (2015)
Maximum Marks: 20
Date: Nov 1, 2015
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Note: This question paper contains three questions, and the marks of each question are
indicated next to it.

1. Consider an anti-Hermitian matrix A (i.e. A = A ) defined over an n-dimensional

complex inner-product space. Given that A is also diagonalizable, answer the following
questions.
(a) Are eigenvalues of A, purely real, purely imaginary, or complex? Prove your assertion. (4 Marks)
Soln: Let |ui i be an eigenvector of A, with eigenvalue ai
A|ui i = ai |ui i,
which implies
hui |A|ui i = hui |Aui i = ai hui |ui i

(1)

using the definition of Hermitian conjugate of an operator, we can also write

hui |A|ui i = hA ui |ui i = hAui |ui i = hai ui |ui i = ai hui |ui i

(2)

Comparing (1) and (2), we have

ai hui |ui i = ai hui |ui i
= (ai + ai )hui |ui i = 0.
Because hui |ui i =
6 0, we have ai + ai = 0. Which means either ai = 0, or ai is
purely imaginary.
(b) Will eigenvectors of A be orthogonal to each other if they correspond to different
eigenvalues? Again prove your assertion. (3 Marks)
Soln: Let ai 6= aj so that
A|ui i = ai |ui i
A|uj i = aj |uj i,
so that
huj |A|ui i = ai huj |ui i = aj huj |ui i
= (ai + aj )huj |ui i = 0.
Because ai 6= aj , therefore (ai + aj ) 6= 0 = huj |ui i = 0. That is eigenvectors
corresponding to distinct eigenvalues are orthogonal.
1

2. Consider operators Ax , Ay , and Az , which satisfy the commutation relations

[Ax , Ay ] = iAz
[Ay , Az ] = iAx
[Az , Ax ] = iAy .
Calculate the commutators [H, Ai ], and [H, A2 ], where i = 1, 2, and, 3 denote x, y,
and z respectively, A2 = A2x + A2y + A2z , and H = a(A2x + A2y ) bA2z , with a and b being
real constants. (7 Marks)
Soln: We first calculate [A2 , Ax ] (say)
[A2 , Ax ] = [A2x + A2y + A2z , Ax ] = [A2x , Ax ] + [A2y , Ax ] + [A2z , Ax ]
= [A2y , Ax ] + [A2z , Ax ] = Ay [Ay , Ax ] + [Ay , Ax ]Ay + Az [Az , Ax ] + [Az , Ax ]Az
= iAy Az iAz Ay + iAz Ay + iAy Az = 0.
Similarly, one can show [A2 , Ay ] = [A2 , Az ] = 0. Therefore, [A2 , Ai ] = 0. We can also
write H = a(A2x + A2y ) bA2z = aA2 (a + b)A2z . Therefore
[H, Ai ] = [aA2 (a + b)A2z , Ai ] = a[A2 , Ai ] (a + b)[A2z , Ai ]
= (a + b)[A2z , Ai ]
Therefore
[H, Az ] = (a + b)[A2z , Az ] = 0
[H, Ax ] = (a + b)[A2z , Ax ] = i(a + b) (Az Ay + Ay Az )
[H, Ay ] = (a + b)[A2z , Ay ] = i(a + b) (Az Ax + Ax Az ) .
Next, we compute [H, A2 ]
[H, A2 ] = [aA2 (a + b)A2z , A2 ] = a[A2 , A2 ] (a + b)[A2z , A2 ]


= (a + b)[A2z , A2 ] = (a + b) [A2z , A2x ] + [A2z , A2y ] + [A2z , A2z ]


= (a + b) [A2z , A2x ] + [A2z , A2y ] .
Now
[A2z , A2x ] = Ax [A2z , Ax ] + [A2z , Ax ]Ax
= iAx Az Ay + iAx Ay Az + iAz Ay Ax + iAy Az Ax
and
[A2z , A2y ] = Ay [A2z , Ay ] + [A2z , Ay ]Ay
= iAy Az Ax iAy Ax Az iAz Ax Ay iAx Az Ay ,
so that
[H, A2 ] = (a + b) {i[Ax , Ay ]Az + iAz [Ay , Ax ]}
= 0
2

3. Consider a 1D system, for which the commutation relation [X, P ] = i~ is valid. Show
that the matrix elements of momentum operator in the position representation are
hx00 |P |x0 i = i~

(x00 x0 )
(x00 x0 )

(5 Marks)
Soln: Let us calculate hx00 |[X, P ]|x0 i
hx00 |[X, P ]|x0 i
=
i~hx00 |x0 i
hx00 |XP |x0 i hx00 |P X|x0 i
=
i~(x00 x0 )
x00 hx|P |x0 i x0 hx|P |x0 i = i~(x00 x0 )
Above we used the result X|xi = x|xi. Finally, we get the result
(x00 x0 )
hx |P |x i = i~ 00
(x x0 )
00