Solutions: Homework I

Quantum Mechanics
8 Points, Due: September 1, 2006
Printed: December 28, 2006
Basic properties and operations on Vector Spaces

1. Basis
Let C(3) be the linear vector space of complex triplets over the complex eld. Consider
an arbitrary vector V represented as a column vector,
0 1
a
V =@ b C
B A: (1)
c

Choose a basis consisting of the following three vectors which are not orthogonal and
not normalized, 0 1
1
jb1 i = B@ 1 CA ; (2)
1
0 1
1
jb2 i = @ 1 CA ;
B (3)
0
0 1
1
jb3 i = B@ 0 CA : (4)
0
(a) Obtain the coordinates of the vector
X
3
jV i = j i
i bi : (5)
i=1

Get  in terms of a,b,c.

Solution
i

Equality of Eq. 5 requires

0 1 0 1
a v1 + v2 + v3
B@ b CA = v1jb1 i + v2jb2 i + v3jb3 i = B@ v1 + v2 CA : (6)
c v1

By inspection we see, c = v1 , so v2 = b , c and a = v3 + b , c + c gives v3 = a , b .

Our result is then
0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
B@ b CA = c B@ 1 CA + (b , c) B@ 1 CA + (a , b) B@ 10 CA :
a 1 1
(7)
c 1 0 0

1
(b) Use the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization procedure to produce an orthonormal
basis set, je i, from jb i. Start with je1i proportional to jb1i.
Solution
i i

We will use the Gram-Schmidt procedure to form an orthonormal basis. Given

the basis jb i, we need to create je i.
i i

i. Dene the rst of the new basis vectors, as suggested, from jb1i. Dene the
unnormalized vector 0 1
0
je1i  jb1 i = @ 0 CA :
0 B (8)
0
Then, normalize to produce the rst orthonormal basis vector
0 1
je1 i 1 1
je1i = q =p @1CB 0

3 1
A: (9)
he1 je1i 0 0

ii. Now take the next one, je2i, to be the vector jb2i minus its projection on je1i,
0

je2i  jb2 i , he1jb2 ije1i

0
(10)
Putting in the numbers yields
0 1 0 1 0 1
1 1 + 1 1 1 1
je2i = jb2 i , he1 jb2ije1i = @ 1 A , p3p3 @ 1 A = 3 @ 1 CA : (11)
0 B C B C B
0 1 ,2
Normalizing produces the second orthonormal basis vector,
0 1
je2 i 1 1
je2 i = q =p @ 1C
B 0

6 ,2
A: (12)
he2je2i 0 0

iii. The last basis vector requires we subtract the portions of jb3 i that are parallel
to je1i and je2 i,
je3 i  jb3 i , je1 ihe1jb3i , je2ihe2jb3 i :
0
(13)
The coecients are he1 jb3i = 13 and he2jb3 i = 16 . The resulting vector that
p p

has no part in the direction of any preceding vector is,

0 1 0 1 0 1
1 1 1 1 1
je3i = @ 0 A , 3 @ 1 A , 6 @ 1 CA :
0 B C B C B (14)
0 1 ,2
The result
0 1 1
je3i = B@ , 12 CA
2
0
(15)
0
2
is normalized to give the nal result,
0 1
1
je3i = p12 B@ ,1 CA : (16)
0
Check to see if everyone is orthonormal.
0 1
1
je1i = p13 B@ 1 CA ;
1
0 1
1 1
je2i = p6 @ 1 CA ;
B
,2
0 1
1 1
je3i = p @ ,1 CA :
B
2
(17)
0
We have (by just mental calculation)
he1je1i = he2 je2i = he3je3 i = 1 ; (18)
and so these are normalized.
Similarly,
he1je2i = he3 je2i = he3je1 i = 0 : (19)
Finally,
he je i = 
i j ij : (20)
We have established that the new basis is orthonormal as required.