(a) Show that the set of all square-integrable functions is a vector space (refer to Section A.1 for the definition). Hint: The main problem is to show that the sum of two square-integrable functions is itself square-integrable. Use Equation 3.7. Is the set of all normalized functions a vector space?

(b) Show that the integral in Equation 3.6satisfies the conditions for an inner product (Section A.2).

Short Answer

Expert verified

a) Two square-integrable functions add up to a square-integrable function.

b) The integral in equation 3.6 satisfies the conditions for an inner product.

Step by step solution

01

Concept used

Equation 3.7 follows Schwarz inequality:

abfx*gxdxabfx2dxabgx2dx

Equation 3.6 define the inner product of two functions

fIg=abfx*gxdx

02

Given information from question

a)

Let fxand gxbe square-integrable, then we need to prove thathx=fx+gxis also square-integrable,

h2=f+g*f+g=f2+g2+f*g+g*f

The integration is,

h2dx=f2dx+g2dx+f*gdx+f*gdx*

since both fxandgxare square-integrable, then the first two terms are finite, using Schwarz inequality, we can write the third and the fourth integrals in terms of the first and the second integral:

abfx*gxdxabfx2dxabgx2dx

Therefore, the last two integrals are finite too. Hence h2dxis finite, therefore Two square-integrable functions add up to a square-integrable function. Now let ψxbe a vector with a value or component for every value of x . If a set of vectors meets two criteria, it can be called a vector space:

- If a vector ψ1xis in the set, then so is Aψxfor any complex scalar A

- If two vectors ψ1xand ψ2xare in the set, then so is their sum ψ1x+ψ2x

these two conditions can be combined by saying that if two vectors ψ1xand ψ2xare in the set, then so is their linear combination Aψ1x+Bψ2x , for any complex scalars and AWe can see from this definition that the above-mentioned collection of all normalizable functions is not a vector space. For example, if 1 is true for a vectorψx , then it is not true if we multiply ψxby any scalar Awhere A1.

03

The definition of an inner product of two vectors

b)

The definition of an inner product of two vectors requires that it satisfies three conditions:

g\f=f\g*f\f0andf\f=0ifandonlyif\f>=0h\(A\f+B\g>)=Ah\f+Bh\g

the first condition is trivial to prove, as:

g\f=abgx*fxdx=abfx*gxdx*=f\g*

For the second condition, we can use:

f\f=-f*xfxdx

To prove that f\f0and f\f=0if and only if \f>=0. For the third condition, we have:

h\A\f>+B\g)=-h*xAfx+h*xBgxdx=-h*xAfxdx+-h*xBgxdx=A-h*xfxdx+B-h*xgxdx=Ah\f+Bh\g

therefore, Equation 3.6's integral satisfies the requirements for an inner product.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Coherent states of the harmonic oscillator. Among the stationary states of the harmonic oscillator (Equation 2.67) only n = 0 hits the uncertainty limit (σxσp=h/2); in general, σxσp=(2n+1)h/2, as you found in Problem 2.12. But certain linear combinations (known as coherent states) also minimize the uncertainty product. They are (as it turns out) Eigen functions of the lowering operator

ψn=1n!(a^+)nψ0(2.68).

a_|α>=α|a>(the Eigen value α can be any complex number).

(a)Calculate <x>,<x2>,<p>,<p2>in the state |α〉. Hint: Use the technique in Example 2.5, and remember that is the Hermitian conjugate of a-. Do not assume α is real.

(b) Find σx; show that σxσp=h/2.

(c) Like any other wave function, a coherent state can be expanded in terms of energy Eigen states: |α>=n=0Cn|n>.

Show that the expansion coefficients arecn=αnn!c0.

(d) Determine by normalizing |α〉. Answer: exp(-α2/2)

(e) Now put in the time dependence: |n>e-iEntIh|n>,

and show that |αt|remains an Eigen state of a-, but the Eigen value evolves in time:α(t)=e-iωt So a coherent state stays coherent, and continues to minimize the uncertainty product.

(f) Is the ground state (n=0>)itself a coherent state? If so, what is the Eigen value?

(a) Suppose that f(x)and g(x)are two eigenfunctions of an operatorQ^ , with the same eigenvalue q . Show that any linear combination of f andgis itself an eigenfunction of Q^, with eigenvalue q .

(b) Check that f(x)=exp(x)andg(x)=exp(-x) are eigenfunctions of the operatord2/dx2 , with the same eigenvalue. Construct two linear combinations of and that are orthogonal eigenfunctions on the interval(-1.1) .

Extended uncertainty principle.The generalized uncertainty principle (Equation 3.62) states that

σA2σB214<C>2

whereC^-i[A^,B^̂]..

(a) Show that it can be strengthened to read

σA2σB214(<C>2+<D>2) [3.99]

whereD^A^B^+B^A^-2AB.. Hint: Keep the term in Equation 3.60

(b) Check equation 3.99 for the caseB=A(the standard uncertainty principle is trivial, in this case, sinceC^=0; unfortunately, the extended uncertainty principle doesn't help much either).

Prove the famous "(your name) uncertainty principle," relating the uncertainty in positionA=x to the uncertainty in energyB=p2/2m+v:

σxσHh2m|p|

For stationary states this doesn't tell you much-why not?

Show that the energy-time uncertainty principle reduces to the "your name" uncertainty principle (Problem 3.14), when the observable in question is x.

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