Quantum Mechanics – Problem Sheet 1
1. Prove that
(a) [𝑇, 𝑃𝑥 ] = 0
(b) [𝑥, 𝑝𝑥 ] = [𝑦, 𝑝𝑦 ] = [𝑧, 𝑝𝑧 ] = 𝑖ℏ
(c) [𝑥, 𝑝𝑦 ] = [𝑥, 𝑝𝑧 ] = [𝑦, 𝑝𝑥 ] = [𝑦, 𝑝𝑧 ] = [𝑧, 𝑝𝑥 ] = [𝑧, 𝑝𝑦 ] = 0
(d) [A , BC] = [A, B]C + B[A, C]
(e) [AB, C] = A [B, C] + [A, C] B
𝑑
(f) [𝑑𝑥 , 𝑥] = 1
2. Find the commutator
(a) [𝑝2 , p]
(b) [𝑥, 𝑝2 ]
3. Prove the Schrodinger equation time independent
4. The wave function of a particle has the form Ψ(x) = A 𝒆−𝒊 𝜶𝒙 , find the eigenvalue
of the operator ̂
𝒑𝒙 .
−𝛼𝑥 2⁄
5. The wave function of a particle (𝑥) = 𝐴𝑒 2
(a) The wave function Ψ(x) is normalized, determine the value of A.
(b) Find the expectation value 〈𝑥〉 and 〈𝑝〉
(c) Find the expectation value 〈𝑥 2 〉
∞ 2 ∞ 2 𝜋 ∞ 2 1 𝜋
Use the integral ∫−∞ 𝑥𝑒 −𝑎𝑥 = 0, ∫−∞ 𝑒 −𝑎𝑥 = √𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ∫−∞ 𝑥 2 𝑒 −𝑎𝑥 = √
2𝑎 𝑎
6. The wave function of a particle 𝜓(𝑥) = 𝐴𝑒 −𝑥/𝐿 𝑥≥0
(a) The wave function Ψ(x) is normalized, determine the value of A.
(b) Find the expectation value of the momentum operator 〈𝑃〉 ?
(c) The probability of finding the particle in the region 𝒙 = 𝟎 𝒕𝒐 𝒙 = 𝑳/𝟐 ?
7. An electron is confined within a region of atomic dimensions, of the order of
10-10m. Find the uncertainty in its momentum. Repeat the calculation for a proton
confined to a region of nuclear dimensions, of the order of 10-14m.
8. Using the uncertainty principle, find the minimum value (in Mev) of the kinetic
energy of a nucleon confined within a nucleus of radius 𝑅 = 5 × 10−15 𝑚.
9. Calculate the relative frequency spread ∆⁄ for a nanosecond (10−9 𝑠) pulse from
a CO2 laser, in which the nominal photon energy is ℎ = 0.112𝑒𝑉
10. A beam of monoenergetic electrons is used to raise atoms to an excited state in a
Franck-Hertz experiment. If this excited state has a life time of 10−9 𝑠, calculate
the spread in energy of the inelastically scattered electrons
