PHYS3040 Quantum Physics Module 1.
Due: 17:00 08/03/24
Extra Tutorial Problems (not assessed)
1. Consider the orthonormal basis {|0⟩, |1⟩} for the Hilbert space of dimension 𝑁𝑁 = 2. Take a vector
1
state |𝜓𝜓〉 = (𝑖𝑖|0〉 + 2|1〉). Using Dirac notation (the properties of kets, bras, and scalar product):
√5
a) Show that |𝜓𝜓〉 is normalized, i.e. 〈𝜓𝜓|𝜓𝜓〉 = 1.
1
b) Write down a decomposition of |𝜓𝜓⟩ in the new basis {|±⟩ = 2 (|0⟩ ± |1⟩)}.
√
c) Evaluate 〈𝜓𝜓|𝜓𝜓〉 using new decomposition.
d) Write down the matrix representation for |𝜓𝜓〉 in any of the bases and show 〈𝜓𝜓|𝜓𝜓〉 = 1 using
matrix multiplication.
2. Consider the projection operators 𝑃𝑃�0 = |0〉〈0| and 𝑃𝑃�1 = |1〉〈1|. Find the matrix representation of
the projection operators 𝑃𝑃�0 and 𝑃𝑃�1 . Use these matrices to:
a) Check that 𝑃𝑃�02 = 𝑃𝑃�0 , 𝑃𝑃�12 = 𝑃𝑃�1 and 𝑃𝑃�0 + 𝑃𝑃�1 = 1.
3. The Hermitian operator 𝐴𝐴̂ corresponds to the observable 𝐴𝐴 has two eigenstates |𝑎𝑎1 〉 and |𝑎𝑎2 〉 with
non-degenerate eigenvalues 𝑎𝑎1 and 𝑎𝑎2 , respectively.
a) Write down the matrix representation of 𝐴𝐴̂ in the basis of |𝑎𝑎1 〉 and |𝑎𝑎2 〉.
b) Show that 𝐴𝐴̂ can be written in the form 𝐴𝐴̂ = 𝑎𝑎1 |𝑎𝑎1 〉〈𝑎𝑎1 | + 𝑎𝑎2 |𝑎𝑎2 〉〈𝑎𝑎2 |
c) Use Taylor series for some function 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑐𝑐0 + 𝑐𝑐1 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐2 𝑥𝑥 2 + ⋯ to evaluate 𝑓𝑓�𝐴𝐴̂�|𝑎𝑎1 〉 and
𝑓𝑓�𝐴𝐴̂�|𝑎𝑎2 〉.
d) Evaluate the matrix representation for 𝑓𝑓�𝐴𝐴̂� in the basis of |𝑎𝑎1 〉 and |𝑎𝑎2 〉.
4. Consider two commuting operators 𝐴𝐴̂ and 𝐵𝐵�: [𝐴𝐴̂, 𝐵𝐵�]=0. Show that if |𝜒𝜒〉 is an eigenstate of 𝐴𝐴̂ then it
is also an eigenstate of 𝐵𝐵�.
5. Prove that if 𝐴𝐴̂ is a linear operator and {|𝑛𝑛⟩} is complete orthonormal basis then �𝐴𝐴̂† �𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 = 𝐴𝐴̂∗𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 .
6. Prove that if {|𝑛𝑛⟩} is complete orthonormal basis then 𝐼𝐼̂ = ∑𝑛𝑛|𝑛𝑛⟩⟨𝑛𝑛|.
� = 𝑒𝑒 −𝑖𝑖 𝛼𝛼 𝐴𝐴� is unitary if 𝐴𝐴̂ is Hermitian and 𝛼𝛼 is a complex number. Give some reasoning
7. Prove that 𝑈𝑈
if any unitary operator can be represented in this form.
8. Prove that eigenstates of a Hermitian operator corresponding different eigenvalues are orthogonal.
PHYS3040 Quantum Physics Module 1. Due: 17:00 08/03/24
Question 1
Part A (grade: 1-5)
1. Consider operators of z and x components of spin-1/2 operator:
ℏ 1 0 ℏ 0 1
𝑆𝑆̂𝑧𝑧 = � � and 𝑆𝑆̂𝑥𝑥 = � �.
2 0 −1 2 1 0
a) Show that 𝑆𝑆̂𝑧𝑧 and 𝑆𝑆̂𝑥𝑥 don’t commute.
b) Check that | + 𝑥𝑥⟩ = (| + 𝑧𝑧⟩ + | − 𝑧𝑧⟩)/√2 is an eigenstate of 𝑆𝑆̂𝑥𝑥 if |±𝑧𝑧⟩ are eigenstates of 𝑆𝑆̂𝑧𝑧 .
c) What would be the outcomes of measurement of z-components if the system is prepared in
| + 𝑥𝑥⟩ before the measurement. What would be the corresponding probabilities to get these
outcomes.
d) Calculate the expectation value ⟨𝑆𝑆̂𝑧𝑧 ⟩ and its dispersion Δ𝑆𝑆𝑧𝑧 when the system is prepared in
|+𝑧𝑧⟩. Compare that to one when the system is prepared and | + 𝑥𝑥⟩.
2. Consider an analogue of the Elitzur-Vaidman bomb testing problem formulated for the Stern-Gerlach
experiment show in Fig.1. The unpolarized silver atoms are sent through three SG filters oriented along
z, x and z axes, respectively. The middle filter contains the black box in the lower arm of the filter. The
box may contain either live or dud bomb. The bomb has a sensor such that each silver atom will trigger
the bomb. The dud bomb will just let the particle pass it without interacting with it.
Figure 1 The analogue of the Elitzur-Vaidman bomb testing problem formulated for the Stern-
Gerlach experiment
a) Evaluate the state of the atom before and after the middle SG filter for the case of the live and
dud bomb.
b) If N particles are sent to the input how many particles will exit the last device if the box contains
the dud bomb?
c) If N particles are sent to the input and the box contains the live bomb, how many particles will
trigger the bomb?
d) If N particles are sent to the input and the box contains the live bomb, how many particles will
NOT trigger the bomb?
e) How many of these particles will exit the last device?
f) If you observe that the particle exits the device what will you conclude about the content of the
box?
Part B (Advanced: grade +0,+1,+2)
1
2 2
1. Explain the physical meaning of dispersion Δψ 𝐴𝐴 ≡ ��𝜓𝜓|𝐴𝐴̂2 |𝜓𝜓� − �𝜓𝜓�𝐴𝐴̂�𝜓𝜓� �
PHYS3040 Quantum Physics Module 1. Due: 17:00 08/03/24
2. Prove that the necessary and sufficient condition for |𝜓𝜓⟩ to be an eigenvector of a Hermitian operator
is that the dispersion ⟨Δψ 𝐴𝐴⟩ is zero.
