Tut Sheet & MCQs on Angular Momentum using bra-ket algebra 1

1


Tutorial Sheet & Multiple Choice Questions
on
Angular Momentum using bra-ket algebra

Tutorial Sheet

1 If P A = o , show that o A P = where o is the adjoint of the operator o .
2 Show that o | o| = where o and | are the adjoints of the operators o and | .
3. If o and | are observables and if o| |o = , show that we can have a complete set of
simultaneous eigenvectors.
4. Show that
| |
z
J , J J

= ; using this equation show that 1 J j m C j m

= . Evaluate C .

[Ans: ( )( ) 1 C j m j m

= + ]
5. Evaluate the angular momentum matrices and
x y z
J , J , J , J J
+
for
1 3
1 and
2 2
j , . = [These
matrices are given on pages 315,317 and 323 of the 5
th
edition of our book on QM]. Show that
whereas the matrices for and
x y z
J , J J are Hermitian, the matrices for and J J
+
are not
Hermitian. In each case, show explicitly that 0 J j, j
+
= and 0 J j, j

= which implies that

j + and j are the maximum and minimum values of m.
6. The spin angular momentum operator for electron is given by
z z y y x x
s s s o o o
2
1
,
2
1
,
2
1
= = = (1)
where o
x
, o
y
and o
z
are Pauli spin matrices. Write the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of
, and .
x y z
s s s


7. Let
2 2 2 2
x y z
s s s s = + + . Show that we can have a complete set of simultaneous eigenvectors of
2
s and
x
s ; or of
2
s and
y
s ; or of
2
s and
z
s .Write those simultaneous eigenvectors.

8. A spin half particle is in the z-up state. On that particle, if we make a measurement of s
x
then
what are the values that we will obtain and what will be their probabilities.

9 The magnetic moment of the neutral Ag-atom is the same as that of an electron and is given by

q
m
~ s (2)
Tut Sheet & MCQs on Angular Momentum using bra-ket algebra 2

2

where q and m represent the charge and mass of the electron and and
x y z
s , s s

are given by Eq.
(1). Such a particle is placed in a static magnetic field given by


^
z B
0
B = (3)
Thus

0 0
1
2
z
H e o = = .B

(4)


Obtain the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of
0
H .

10 Write the most general solution of the time dependent Schrodinger equation

> + = > +
c
c
) ( | ) ( |
0
t H t
t
i (5)
where
0
H is given by Eq. (4).
11. In continuation of the previous problem, we assume that at t = 0, the atom is in the x | state.
Obtain the time evolution of the state and calculate the expectation values of , and .
x y z
s s s

Multiple Choice Questions

1 For
1 1 1
; ,
2 2 2
x x y y
j J J o o = = = and
1
2
z z
J o = where ,
x y
o o and
z
o are Pauli spin
matrices. Evaluate 2 1
x
J
(a)
1
2 1
2
x
J =

(b)
1
2 1
2
x
J =

(c) 2 1
x
J =

(d) 2 1
x
J i =+


[Answer (b)]

2 | j,m> are simultaneous eigenkets of
2
J and
z
J . Let
1 1
1
2 2
, = and
1 1
2
2 2
, = .
Evaluate 1 2
y
J .
(a) 1 2
2
y
i
J = +
(b) 1 2
2
y
i
J =

Tut Sheet & MCQs on Angular Momentum using bra-ket algebra 3

3

(c) 1 2
2
y
J = +

(d) 1 2
2
y
J =


[Answer (b)]

3 | j,m> are simultaneous eigenkets of
2
J and
z
J . Let
1 1
1
2 2
, = and
1 1
2
2 2
, = .
Evaluate
2
2 2 J .


(a)
2 2
3
2 2
4
J =
(b)
2 2
3
2 2
4
J =

(c)
2 2
1
2 2
2
J =

(d)
2 2
1
2 2
2
J =


[Answer (a)]

4 For
1 1 1
; ,
2 2 2
x x y y
j J J o o = = = and
1
2
z z
J o = where ,
x y
o o and
z
o are Pauli spin
matrices. What are the eigenvalues of
y
J ?

(a) The eigenvalues of
y
J are

(b) The eigenvalues of
y
J are
2
i

(c) The eigenvalues of
y
J are
1
2

(d) The eigenvalues of
y
J are i


[Answer (c)]
5 Assume
3
2
j = . The kets
3 3
1
2 2
, = ,
3 1
2
2 2
, = ,
3 1
3
2 2
, = and
3 3
4
2 2
, = are
simultaneous eigenkets of
2
J and
z
J . Which one of the following answers would be completely
correct

(a)
2 2
3 3
1 1 1 1
2 2
&
z
J J = =

Tut Sheet & MCQs on Angular Momentum using bra-ket algebra 4

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(b)
2 2
15 3
2 2 2 2
4 2
&
z
J J = =


(c)
2 2
15 1
3 3 3 1
4 2
&
z
J J = =


(d)
2 2
15 3
4 4 4 4
4 2
&
z
J J = =


[Answer (b)]

6 Assume
3
2
j = . The kets
3 3
1
2 2
, = ,
3 1
2
2 2
, = ,
3 1
3
2 2
, = and
3 3
4
2 2
, = are
simultaneous eigenkets of
2
J and
z
J . Evaluate 2 1
y
J
(a)
3
2 1
2
y
i
J =

(b)
3
2 1
2
y
i
J =


(c)
3
2 1
2
y
J =


(d)
3
2 1
2
y
J =


[Answer (b)]

7
cot ;
i
x y
L L iL e i
|
u |

( c c
= = +
(
c c


1, 1 1,0
Y C L Y

=
. The constant C is given by

(a)
1
2
C =

(b)
1
2
C =

(c)
1
6
C =

(d)
1
6
C =


[Answer (a)]

8
cot ;
i
x y
L L iL e i
|
u |

( c c
= = +
(
c c


3,2 3,1
Y C L Y
+
=
. The constant C is given by

Tut Sheet & MCQs on Angular Momentum using bra-ket algebra 5

5

(a)
1
10
C =

(b)
1
10
C =

(c)
1
12
C =

(d)
1
12
C =


[Answer (a)]