January 7, 2020

PHY432 (Quantum Mechanics-II)

Problem set-1
Angular Momentum

1. Given Y44 = Ae4iφ sin4 θ. Find the angular dependence of Y4m for m = 3, 2, 1, 0.

2. Calculate hl, m1 |Lx |l, m2 i and hl, m1 |L2x |l, m2 i.

3. The Hamiltonian for an axially symmetric rotator is

L2x + L2y L2
H= + z
2I1 2I3

(a) What are the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of H?

(b) What values are expected for a measurement of Lx + Ly + Lz for any state?
(c) If the state of the rotator at t = 0 is |l = 3, m = 0i, what is the probability that a
measurement of Lx at t = 4πIx /~ will obtain the value ~?

4. Consider a particle with a wave function

2
ψ(x, y, z) = N (x + y + z)e−αr

where N is the normalization constant and α is a parameter. What is the probability

that a measurement of L2 (square of the angular momentum) yields 0? What is the
proability that it yields 2~2 ? If the value of l is found to be 1, what are the relative
probabilities for m = 1, 0, −1,?
q q q
−1
1 3 iφ 0 3 3
(Y1 = − 8π sin θe , Y1 = − 4π cos θ, Y1 = − 8π sin θe−iφ )
 
4
5. Consider a spin 1/2 system represented by the normalized spinor √1   . What
65
7
is the probability that a measurement of Sy yields a value of −~/2?

6. If the z-component of an electron spin is +~/2, what is the probability that its com-
ponent along a direction z 0 that forms an angle θ with the z-axis equals to +~/2 or
−~/2? What is the average value of spin along z 0 ?

1
7. Consider a spin 1/2 particle at t = 0 is in the eigenstate of Sx with eigenvalue −~/2.
eB
The particle is in a magnetic field and the Hamiltonian is given by H = S.
mc z

(a) Find the state at t > 0.

(b) What are the results for the measurement of Sx and Sz at t = t1 ? Explain the
difference in the t1 -dependence.

8. Consider the addition of angular momenta j1 = 1 and j2 = 1. The standard notation

|j, mi denotes the coupled state and |j1 , j2 ; m1 , m2 i the uncoupled state.
(a) What are the possible values of resultant j?
(b) What is the dimensionality of the state space?
(c) Write the |2, 2i state in the |j1 , j2 ; m1 , m2 i basis.
(d) Starting from above relation for |2, 2i state, determine the states
|2, 1i, |2, 0i, |2, −1i, and |2, −2i in the uncoupled basis.

9. Consider a system with two particles defined by angular momentum eigenstates |j1 , m1 i
and |j2 , m2 i. Using the notation of Clebsch-Gordon coefficient C(j1 , j2 , J; m, M −m) =
hj1 , j2 ; m, M − m|J, M i, show that the C-G coeeficients satisfy the recurrence relation:

[J(J + 1) − j1 (j1 + 1) − j2 (j2 + 1) − 2m(M − m)]C(j1 , j2 , J; m, M − m)

= [(j1 − m + 1)(j1 + m)(j2 + M − m + 1)(j2 − M + m)]1/2 C(j1 , j2 , J; m − 1, M − m + 1)
+ [(j1 + m + 1)(j1 − m)(j2 − M + m + 1)(j2 + M − m)]1/2 C(j1 , j2 , J; m + 1, M − m − 1).