[Refer to Problem 4.59 for background.] In classical electrodynamics the potentials Aandare not uniquely determined; 47 the physical quantities are the fields, E and B.
(a) Show that the potentials
(whereis an arbitrary real function of position and time). yield the same fields asand A. Equation 4.210 is called a gauge transformation, and the theory is said to be gauge invariant.
(b) In quantum mechanics the potentials play a more direct role, and it is of interest to know whether the theory remains gauge invariant. Show that
satisfies the Schrödinger equation (4.205) with the gauge-transformed potentialsand, Sincediffers fromonly by a phase factor, it represents the same physical state, 48and the theory is gauge invariant (see Section 10.2.3for further discussion).