Solution to Homework 5

Problem 1.a
D E D E
If Ô is a Hermitian Operator, it should satisfy the condition f |Ôg = Ôf |g for all f (x) and all g (x) in
d
Hilbert space. Let’s check this for momentum operator p̂ = −i~ dx ,

Z +∞ Z +∞  ∗
dg df
hf |p̂gi = f ∗ (−i~) dx = (−i~) f ∗ g|+∞
−∞ + −i~ gdx = hp̂f |gi
−∞ dx −∞ dx
where I have used integration by parts and ignored the boundary terms. Hence p̂ is a Hermitian operator.

Problem 1.b
p̂2 ~ d 2 2
The Hamiltonian Ĥ = 2m + V (x̂) = − 2m dx2 + V (x), then

+∞ Z +∞ Z +∞
~2 d2 ~2 2
E Z  
∗d g
D
f |Ĥg = f∗ − + V gdx = − f dx + f ∗ V gdx
−∞ 2m dx2 2m −∞ dx2 −∞

Integration by parts twice for the first term and ignore the boundary terms, we have

Z +∞ 2 ∗ Z +∞ Z +∞  ∗
D E ~2 d f ∗ ~2 d2 f D E
f |Ĥg = − 2
gdx + f V gdx = − 2
+ V f gdx = Ĥf |g
2m −∞ dx −∞ −∞ 2m dx

Hence Ĥ is a Hermitian Operator.

Problem 1.c

Suppose
D E fD(x) isE an eigenfunction of a Hermitian operator  with eigenvalue a, namely Âf = af , and
f |Âf = Âf |f . Then

a hf |f i = a∗ hf |f i
hf |f i is nonzero, otherwise f (x) ≡ 0, so a = a∗ , the eigenvalue a must be real.

Problem 2.a
mω 1/4 − mω 2
mω 1/4 − mω 2
e 2~ x e−iE0 t/~ e 2~ x e−iωt/2 ,



The coordinate space wavefunction Ψ0 (x, t) = π~ = π~ Fourier transform
to momentum space,
Z ∞
1
Φ0 (p, t) = √ e−ipx/~ Ψ0 (x, t) dx (1)
2π~ −∞
1  mω 1/4 −iωt/2 ∞ −ipx/~ − mω x2
Z
=√ e e e 2~ dx (2)
2π~ π~ −∞
R∞ 2
The integral in (2) has the form −∞ e−ax +bx dx (a is real and a > 0), and can be evaluated as follows:

Z ∞ Z ∞
2 2 2
e−ax +bx
dx = eb /4a
e−a(x−b/2a) dx
−∞ −∞
Z∞
b2 /4a 2
=e e−ay dy
−∞
r
π b2 /4a
= e
a
where I have changed the variable y = x − b/2a. Thus,
r
1  mω 1/4 −iωt/2 2π~ −p2 /2mω~ 1 2
Φ0 (p, t) = √ e e = 1/4
e−p /2mω~ e−iωt/2
2π~ π~ mω (πmω~)

Problem 2.b
d
Express the creation operator in momentum space with the substitution x = i~ dp ,

1
a† = √ (−ip + mωx)
2mω~
 
1 d
= √ −ip + imω~
2mω~ dp

Then we can generate the first excited state by acting the creation operator on ground state,

Φ1 (p) = a† Φ0 (p)
 
1 1 d 2
=√ −ip + imω~ e−p /2mω~
2mω~ (πmω~)1/4 dp
 1/4
4 2
= −i pe−p /2mω~
πm3 ω 3 ~3

Its time dependence is e−iE1 t/~ = e−i3ωt/2 , hence

 1/4
4 2
Φ1 (p, t) = −i pe−p /2mω~ −i3ωt/2
e
πm3 ω 3 ~3

Problem 3.a

LHS = ABC − CAB

RHS = A(BC − CB) + (AC − CA)B

= ABC − ACB + ACB − CAB
= ABC − CAB

Therefore, [AB, C] = A[B, C] + [A, C]B.

Problem 3.b

[pn , x] = p[pn−1 , x] + [p, x]pn−1

= pp[pn−2 , x] + p[p, x]pn−2 + (−i~)pn−1
= p2 [pn−2 , x] + 2(−i~)pn−1
= ···
= pn−1 [p, x] + (n − 1)(−i~)pn−1
= −i~npn−1

2
Where I have used the fundamental commutator [p, x] = −i~.
In general, commutator [f (p) , x] = −i~ dfdp
(p)
for any function f (p)

Problem 4.a

 
d i ∂x
hxi = h[H, x]i +
dt ~ ∂t
i
= h[H, x]i
~
For x does not explicitly depend on time.
The commutator [H, x] is,

p2
[H, x] = [ + V (x) , x]
2m
1 2
= [p , x]
2m
1 dp2
= (−i~)
2m dp
p
= (−i~)
m
d i

p
 hpi
Thus, dt hxi = ~ (−i~) m = m , consistent with the Erenfest’s theorem.

Problem 4.b

 
d i ∂p
hpi = h[H, p]i +
dt ~ ∂t
i
= h[H, p]i
~
For p does not explicitly depend on time.
The commutator [H, p] is,

p2
[H, p] = [ + V (x) , p]
2m
= [V (x) , p]
dV
= i~
dx

where we have used the fact that for any function f (x), the commutator [f (x) , p] = i~ dfdx
(x)
.
d
hpi = ~i i~ ∂V ∂V



Thus, dt ∂x = − ∂x , consistent with Erenfest’s theorem.