Homework 2

AS.171.303: Quantum Mechanics I

Due: Tuesday, October 1
1. As discussed in class, we can simplify calculations by using a 22 matrix representation
for spin, since the only two degrees of freedom are spin-up and spin-down. If we work
in the z-basis, we can represent | + z

1
0

and | z

0
1

.
(a) If the states | x can be written as
| x =
1

2
| + z
1

2
| z
what are the forms of | x in this matrix representation?
(b) We can also represent an operator

O as a matrix, with matrix elements given by

O
ij
= i|

O|j
where i and j run over all basis vectors. Find the matrix representation of

J
x
,
the generator of rotations about the x-axis, in the z-basis.
(c) The states | x should both be eigenstates of

J
x
. In other words,

J
x
| x =

| x, where the eigenvalues

are simply numbers, not operators. Check

that this is true in your matrix representations of

J
x
and | x. What is the
eigenvalue for each state?
2. Similar to | x, the states | y must be eigenstates of the operator

J
y
. The matrix
representation of

J
y
in the z-basis is

J
y

0
i
2
i
2
0

=

2

0 i
i 0

Based solely on the knowledge that | y are eigenstates of

J
y
with real eigenvalues

and must be normalized to 1, nd the form of | y in the z-basis. In other words,

solve the eigenvalue equation

J
y

| y = 0
for both

and | y, where

I is the identity matrix. Feel free to set any arbitrary
phases to zero, but please indicate that youre doing so in your work.
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3. If we want to represent operators as matrices, we should understand various properties
of matrices. One possible class of matrices is Hermitian, or self-adjoint, matrices. A
matrix

O is Hermitian if

O =

O

(a) Show that any 2 2 Hermitian matrix can be expressed in terms of only four real
numbers,

O =

a b ic
b + ic d

(b) A matrix is unitary if

=

O

O =

I
where

I is the identity matrix. In terms of a, b, c, and d from part (a), what are
the additional conditions that a 2 2 matrix must satisfy to be both Hermitian
and unitary?
(c) We can exponentiate a matrix through the following denition
e

n=0

X
n
n!
If we then dene the matrix

U as

U e
i

O
where

O is both unitary and Hermitian and is some real number, nd a simple
matrix expression for

U in terms of and a, b, c, and d from parts (a) and (b).
Is

U Hermitian? Is

U unitary?
4. (a) Determine a 2 2 matrix

U that can be used to transform a column vector
representing a photon polarization state from the linear polarization |X- and
|Y -basis to the circular polarization |R- and |L-basis.
(b) Is the matrix

U you found unitary? Is it Hermitian?
5. A beam of electrons is traveling in the +z-direction, each of which is in the state
| =

2
3
| + z +
i

3
| z
These electrons all collide and stick to a disk with its axis of rotation xed in the z-
direction, which is initially not spinning, at a rate of N electrons per second (N 1).
How large is the average torque exerted on the disk? In what direction does the disk
rotate?
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