(a) If you measured the component of spin angular momentum along the x direction, at time t, what is the probability that you would get +h/2?

(b) Same question, but for the ycomponent.

(c) Same, for the z component.

Short Answer

Expert verified

(a) The probability along x direction is 12[1+sinαcos(γB0t)].

(b) The probability along y direction is 12[1-sinαsin(γB0t)].

(c) The probability along y direction is cos2α2.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of Eigen spinors and probability

In quantum physics, eigen spinors are considered basis vectors that represent a particle's general spin state. They are not vectors in the strictest sense, but rather spinors.

The probability formula states that the ratio of the number of favorable outcomes to the total number of alternatives equals the likelihood of an event occurring.

02

(a) Determination of the probability of getting +h/2 along x-direction

Use equations. 4.151 and 4.163 that are mentioned as follows,

χ+x=1212,eigenvalue+2χ+x1212,eigenvalue-2

The generic spinor x (Equation 4.139) can be written as a linear combination since the eigenvectors of a hermitian matrix, they span the space.

x=a+b2x+x+a-b2x-x

Determine the value of x).

x)=cosα2eiγB012sinα2e-iγB012

Find the value of probability,P+x.

localid="1659017003900" P+x=x+x|x2=1211cosα2eiyB012sinα2e-i7yB0f2=12cosα2eiyB0t2+sinα2eiyB0t2×cosα2eiyB0t2+sinα2e-iyB0t2=12cos2α2+sinα2+cosα2sinα2eiyB0+e-iyB0

Evaluate the above expression further.

P+x=121+2sinα2cosα2cosγB0tP+xt=121+sinαcosγB0t

Thus, the probability along -direction is 121+sinαcosγB0t.

03

(b) Determination of the probability of getting +h/2 along y-direction

From part a ofProblem 4.32,

x+y=121i

Substitute the above value in c+y=x+yx.

c+y=x+yx=121-icosα2eiyB0t/2sinα2e-iyB0t/2=12cosα2eiyB0t/2-isinα2e-iyB0t/2

Determine the value of the probability, P+y.

P+x=(x+x|x)2=121-icosα2ei-B012sinα2e-17B012=12cos2α2+sin2α2+isinα2cosα2eiy-B0t-e-i-yB0t=121-2sinα2cosα2sinγB0tP+yt=121-sinαsinγB0t

Thus, the probability along -direction is 121-sinαsinγB0t.

04

(c) Determination of the probability of getting +h/2 along z-direction

The normalized eigen spinors for is as follows,

x+z=10c+z=10cosα2eiyB0t/2sinα2e-iyB0t/2=cosα2e-iyB0t/2

Determine the value of the probability,P+z.

P+zt=c+z2=cos2α2

Hence, the probability along z-direction is cos2α2.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Consider the three-dimensional harmonic oscillator, for which the potential is

V(r)=122r2

(a) Show that separation of variables in cartesian coordinates turns this into three one-dimensional oscillators, and exploit your knowledge of the latter to determine the allowed energies. Answer:

En=(n+3/2)hω

(b) Determine the degeneracyofd(n)ofEn.

(a) For a functionf(ϕ)that can be expanded in a Taylor series, show that f(ϕ+φ)=eiLzφ/f(ϕ) (where is an arbitrary angle). For this reason, Lz/ is called the generator of rotations about the Z-axis. Hint: Use Equation 4.129 , and refer Problem 3.39.More generally, L·n^/ is the generator of rotations about the direction n^, in the sense that exp(iL·n^φ/)effects a rotation through angleφ (in the right-hand sense) about the axis n^ . In the case of spin, the generator of rotations is S·n^/. In particular, for spin 1/2 χ'=ei(σ·n^)φ/2χtells us how spinors rotate.

(b) Construct the (2×2)matrix representing rotation by 180about the X-axis, and show that it converts "spin up" χ+into "spin down"χ- , as you would expect.

(c) Construct the matrix representing rotation by 90about the Y-axis, and check what it does to

χ+

(d) Construct the matrix representing rotation by 360about the -Zaxis, If the answer is not quite what you expected, discuss its implications.

(e) Show thatei(σ·n^)φ/2=cos(φ/2)+i(n^·σ)sin(φ/2)

(a) A particle of spin1and a particle of spin 2 are at rest in a configuration such that the total spin is 3, and its z component is . If you measured the z component of the angular momentum of the spin-2particle, what values might you get, and what is the probability of each one?

(b) An electron with spin down is in the stateψ510of the hydrogen atom. If you could measure the total angular momentum squared of the electron alone (not including the proton spin), what values might you get, and what is the probability of each?

[Refer to Problem 4.59 for background.] In classical electrodynamics the potentials Aandφare not uniquely determined; 47 the physical quantities are the fields, E and B.

(a) Show that the potentials

φ'φ-Λt,A'A+Λ

(whereis an arbitrary real function of position and time). yield the same fields asφand 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

Ψ'eiqΛ/Ψ

satisfies the Schrödinger equation (4.205) with the gauge-transformed potentialsφ'andA', SinceΨ'differs fromψonly by a phase factor, it represents the same physical state, 48and the theory is gauge invariant (see Section 10.2.3for further discussion).

(a)Derive Equation 4.131 from Equation 4.130. Hint: Use a test function; otherwise you're likely to drop some terms.

(b)Derive Equation 4.132 from Equations 4.129 and 4.131 .Hint : Use Equation 4.112.

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