Quantum Mechanics Notes (8.

04 MIT OCW)
De Broglie relations
= =

= =

Waves relations
2
= 2 =

Wave Function
Let D be the domain of all possible value of x (where x is the displacement)
Then, is a wave function if:

|()|2 = 1 ( )

Probability
The probability to find a particle between the position x and x + dx is:
+
(, + ) = () = |()|2

The expected value of x is:

+
= ()||() = |()|2

The expected value of a function of x, (), is:

+
() = ()|()|2

Momentum
) is the Fourier Transform of ()
The wave function of the momentum (()
+
1
() = ()
2
Superposition
Any reasonable WF can be expressed by superposition of other WFs
1
() =
()
2
1
() = (0 )( 0 )0
2
Being in a definite position means being in a superposition of infinite momenta:
1
( 0 ) = 0
2
Probability of momentum
Note 1:

=


= =


Therefore, the operator of the momentum is

Noethers Theorem:
To every continuous symmetry is associated a conserved quantity
+ = 0
+ =
= + = 0
Example for translation:
() 2 2 () 3 3 ()
() = ( ) = () + +
2! 2 3! 3

= ()
Translation is generated by the derivative respect to x
We find that:
Position operator
=
() = ()
Momentum operator

=

()
() =

And the expectation value becomes:

+
()
=
()

Energy Operator
2 2 2
=
+ () = + ()
2 2 2
The energy operator is the Hamiltonian of the system
Expectation value
+
= ()
()

And the uncertainty is:

= 2 2

Operators do commute?
Example:
()
( )() = (()) = (()) =

() ()
( )() = ( ()) = ( )=

Special case:
( )() = ( )() () = 0
Conclusion
( ) ( ) = 1
If quantum mechanics rules were not rule the world, 0 and the operators would commute;
in different terms, computing first the momentum and after the position would be the same as
calculating first the position and then the momentum.
Using the commutator symbol [, ] = we write that [, ] = 1
Observables and operators

Upon measuring an observable associated with an operator

-The measured value is a real eigenvalue of . These operators are called Hermitian.
-After measurement, system collapses into , that is the state associated to the found
eigenvalue(s).
Example:
You measure the position of () and you find that the particle is at 0 . This implies that
collapses into a new WF proportional to ( 0 ):
()~( 0 )
So ( 0 ) is an eigenfunction of the position operator:
( 0 ) = ( 0 ) = 0 ( 0 )
So, lets compute the exp. value for the position
+ +
= ( 0 )( 0 ) = ( 0 ) = 0

-Given an operator and its eigenfunctions, you can expand a state in a base of those
eigenfunctions.

Schrodinger Equation
)
(, ) = (,

(, ) = ()

= =

= =
(,)
(, ) =
(,)
(, ) =

Sometimes it becomes:
2 2 (,)
( 2 2 + ())(, ) =

2 2 (,) (,)
2 2
+ ()(, ) =
Free Particle
2 2 2
= =
2 2 2
(, ) 2 2 (, )
=
2 2
Lets expand over its energy eigenfunctions; let be those eigenfunctions associated with
the eigenvalues
2 2
=
2 2
2
=
2
2
Let 2 be 2

= 2

So this equation is equivalent to the harmonic oscillator in classical mechanics:

=