Phys 2041
Phys 2041
Phys 2041
Assignment 6
October 2023
Lachlan Morton – 47078237
Problem 11.3
(a) The action of the Ŝ 2 operator on the ket |s, ms ⟩ is Ŝ 2 |s, ms ⟩ = ℏ2 s(s + 1)|s, ms ⟩. Construct the operator
Ŝ 2 in Dirac notation (i.e., in terms of |s, ms ⟩), using the spectral decomposition, for an electron. Construct
it also as a matrix.
The matrix representation of Ŝ 2 is described by the 2 × 2 identity matrix from the basis states, |↑⟩ and
|↓⟩ for each eigenstate and its eigenvalues given by 34 ℏ2 , thus,
3 1 0
Ŝ 2 = ℏ2
4 0 1
(b) The action of the Ŝz operator on the ket |s, ms ⟩ is Ŝz |s, ms ⟩ = ℏms |s, ms ⟩. Construct the Ŝz operator for
an electron as a matrix.
We can utilise the basis states, |↑⟩ and |↓⟩ to determine a matrix form using the eigenvalues of the Ŝz
operators in each state:
Ŝz |↑⟩ = ℏ + 21 |↑⟩ , Ŝz |↓⟩ = ℏ − 12 |↓⟩
Express the operator Ŝy in terms of Ŝ+ and Ŝ− , and construct it for an electron as a matrix.
Eq. (1) gives Sˆ+ |↑z ⟩ = 0 and Sˆ+ |↓z ⟩ = ℏ |↑z ⟩ and so by othonormality,
ˆ 0 1
S+ = ℏ
0 0
Then by the same process, Sˆ− |↑z ⟩ = ℏ |↓z ⟩ and Sˆ− |↓z ⟩ = 0 gives,
0 0
Sˆ− = ℏ
1 0
Now from,
Sˆ+ = Sˆx + iSˆy , Sˆ− = Sˆx − iSˆy
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PHYS2041 - Quantum Mechanics I Lachlan Morton – 47078237
we have,
Sˆ+ − Sˆ− = Sˆx + iSˆy − Sˆx − iSˆy
= 2iSˆy
iˆ
∴ Sˆy = − S+ − Sˆ−
2
iℏ 0 1 0 0
=− −
2 0 0 1 0
ℏ 0 −i
=
2 i 0
3 9 4
Sˆ2 = ℏ2 I, Sˆ4 = ℏ
4 16
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PHYS2041 - Quantum Mechanics I Lachlan Morton – 47078237
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PHYS2041 - Quantum Mechanics I Lachlan Morton – 47078237
Problem 11.4
⟨Sˆx ⟩ = χ† Sˆx χ
ℏ 0 1 3i/5
= −3i/5 4/5
2 1 0 4/5
ℏ 4/5
= −3i/5 4/5
2 3i/5
ℏ 12i 12i
= − +
2 25 25
=0
⟨Sˆy ⟩ = χ† Sˆy χ
ℏ 0 −i 3i/5
= −3i/5 4/5
2 i 0 4/5
ℏ −4i/5
= −3i/5 4/5
2 −3/5
ℏ 12 12
= − −
2 25 25
12ℏ
=−
25
⟨Sˆz ⟩ = χ† Sˆz χ
ℏ 1 0 3i/5
= −3i/54/5
2 0 −1 4/5
ℏ 3i/5
= −3i/5 4/5
2 −4/5
ℏ 9 16
= −
2 25 25
7ℏ
=−
50
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PHYS2041 - Quantum Mechanics I Lachlan Morton – 47078237
⟨Sˆ2 ⟩ = χ† Sˆ2 χ
3ℏ2
1 0 3i/5
= −3i/5 4/5
4 0 1 4/5
3ℏ2
3i/5
= −3i/5 4/5
4 4/5
2
3ℏ 9 16
= +
4 25 25
3ℏ2
=
4
or simply,
⟨Sˆ2 ⟩ = χ† Sˆ2 χ
3ℏ2 †
= χ Iχ
4
3ℏ2 †
= χ χ
4
3ℏ2
=
4
(c) What is the probability of measuring ℏ/2 for the spin of the state in the y-direction?
† 2
ℏ 1 1 3i/5
P + =
2 y 2 i 4/5
2
1 3i/5
= 1 −i
2 4/5
2
1 3i 4i
= −
2 5 5
2
1 −i
=
2 5
1 −i i
=
2 5 5
1
=
50
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PHYS2041 - Quantum Mechanics I Lachlan Morton – 47078237
Problem 12.1
(a) A system consists of two particles of mass m1 and m2 interacting with an interaction potential V (r) that
depends only on the relative distance r = |r1 − r2 | between the particles, where r1 = (x1 , y1 , z1 ) and
r2 = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) are the coordinates of the two particles in three-dimensions (3D).
Show that for such an interaction potential, the Hamiltonian of the system,
ℏ2 2 ℏ2 2
Ĥ = − ∇r 1 − ∇ + V (r) (3)
2m1 2m2 r2
can be put in the form,
ℏ2 2 ℏ2 2
Ĥ = − ∇R − ∇ + V (r) (4)
2M 2µ r
We are given the following:
m1 r1 + m2 r2
r = r1 − r2 , R= , R = (X, Y, Z), ri = (xi , yi , zi )
m1 + m2
m1 m2
M = m1 + m2 , µ=
m1 + m2
Arranging for r1 and r2 in terms of R and r,
r1 = r + r2 , r2 = r1 − r
=⇒ R(m1 + m2 ) = m1 (r + r2 ) + m2 r2 R(m1 + m2 ) = m2 (r1 − r) + m1 r1
= (m1 + m2 )r2 + m1 r = (m1 + m2 )r1 − m2 r
m1 m2
∴ r2 = R − r ∴ r1 = R + r
m1 + m2 m1 + m2
µ2 2 2µ
∇2r1 = ∇ + (∇r · ∇R ) + ∇2r
m22 R m2
µ2 2µ
∇2r2 = 2 ∇2R − (∇r · ∇R ) + ∇2r
m1 m1
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PHYS2041 - Quantum Mechanics I Lachlan Morton – 47078237
ℏ2
2
ℏ2
2
µ 2 2µ 2 µ 2 2µ 2
Ĥ = − ∇ + (∇ r · ∇ R ) + ∇ − ∇ − (∇ r · ∇ R ) + ∇ r + V (r)
2m1 m22 R m2 r
2m2 m21 R m1
:0
2 2 2
−ℏ µ µ 1 2 1 2 2µ 2µ
∇2 + ∇2 +
∇ + ∇ + (∇r ·∇ − (∇r · ∇R )
= R
+ V (r)
2 m1 m22 R m21 m2 R m1 r m2 r m1 m 2 m 1 m2
2 2
−ℏ µ 1 1 1 1
= ∇2R + + ∇2r + + V (r)
2 m1 m2 m1 m2 m1 m2
1 1 m1 + m2 1
+ = = m1 + m2 = M
m1 m2 m1 m2 µ
−ℏ2
1 2 1 2
⇒= µ ∇ + ∇ + V (r)
2 (m1 + m2 )µ R µ r
−ℏ2 2 −ℏ2 2
= ∇R + ∇ + V (r)
2M 2µ r
, as required
(b) The time-independent Schrödinger equation for for the two-particle wavefunction ψ(r1 , r2 ) with energy
E, give some interation potential denoted, V (r1 , r2 ), is given by,
ℏ2 2 ℏ2 2
− ∇ − ∇ + V (r1 , r2 ) ψ(r1 , r2 ) = EΨ(r1 , r2 ) (5)
2m1 r1 2m2 r2
COM :
−ℏ2 2 (M )
∇ ψ (R) = ECOM ψ (M ) (R)
2M R
Relative :
−ℏ2 2
∇ + V (r) ψ (µ) (r) = Erel ψ (µ) (r)
2µ r
These solutions describe the energies related with the center-of-mass and relative motions,
such that, E = ECOM + Erel .
The equation for center-of-mass decribes the motion of a free particle with mass M , such that there is
not potential form. Also called centre-of-mass motion.
The second eqution describes motion of a particle of mass µ moving in the interaction potential V (r1 , r2 ).
End of Assignment